Not to Disappear
by youhaven'tmetme
Summary: Sam and Dean knew Maddy Bradford was kind. They knew she was independent. Knew she was scarred, despite her bright exterior. They also knew she had been running all her life. And now, faced with something there is no running from, they know she must learn to stand and fight, or she won't be the only to lose.
1. Chapter 1

**I've wanted to write this one for a** ** _long_** **time. A lot of my fics focus on strong women and diversity - as you'll see when I get around to finishing and uploading them all - but in this, I wanted to show a soft(TM) girl whose still strong and badass. Maddy and her story means a lot to me and I hope you guys can connect with her/it too. Also, there's gonna be minimal to no romance. A whole bunch of familial friendships between side characters and main characters? Hell yeah. This is also gonna follow my own plot with sprinkles of the original story so if you want a rewrite of episodes with another character in, you might not enjoy this.**

 **Also, this is a story that won't just focus on Maddy. I want it to be a story about all of the characters and their conflicts.**

 **Oh, and warning for violence and swearing. I do a lot of both.**

 **Pre-first chapter ramble over. Enjoooy!**

 **PS, these first few chapters are set in season 5, then there will be time jump.**

* * *

"Got the short straw today, didn't you?" Finley teased as Maddy ducked under his arm, holding the glasses on the tray so they wouldn't fall.

"Someone needs to keep you in check. You know, in case you decide to abandon post and hook up with Danielle," Maddy teased back. Danielle gave a little wave from her table. "Anyway, you deal with the riffraff. Usually if someone comes in for a fight, they don't order the pie of the day first."

"True," Finley smiled as a tall guy came to the bar. "What can I get you, bro?"

Maddy took a second to admire the customer's shoulder length hair before slipping in the kitchen. Usually Janine dealt with the food on a Friday night but she had a vicious bout of bronchitis and was bed-ridden. Maddy didn't mind. She could play her music and lose herself in making well-practiced meals.

"Mads, need a bacon cheeseburger and house salad," Finley called through the door.

"On it, Finland!"

He chucked his tea towel at her, which she dodged with a laugh. It landed on the hob of the oven and she dived to throw it off.

"You idiot!" she yelled

"Stop looking in mirrors!" he yelled back through the closed door.

She shook her head at him. Finn wasn't the best at retorts but they made her laugh nonetheless.

Maddy moved over to her speaker and turned on some Simon and Garfunkel. She was trying to play a few of theirs on her guitar at home but reading sheet music didn't suit her. Playing by ear meant having to listen over and over. Great for Maddy, not so great for Finn.

Mrs Robinson began to play as she put the burger on to fry and got started on the salad.

" _We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files,_ " she sang out of tune. " _We'd like to help you learn to help yourseeelf._ "

"Yo, Beyonce, tone the tunes down!"

"Piss off, Finn!"

He propped open the door, poking his head through the gap.

"C'mon - "

" _Look around you all you see are sympathetic eyes!_ " she sang louder, throwing him a cheesy grin as some of the locals laughed from the bar. " _Stroooooll around the grounds until you feel at home!_ Come on, Haz, you love this one!"

The local pawnbroker barked a laugh from the other room as Maddy turned up the volume for the chorus.

" _And here's to you, Mrs Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you will know!_ " they sang together, a few others joining in.

Finn bashed his head against the doorframe.

" _Wo, wo, wo! God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson. Heaven holds a place for those who pray!_ "

" _Hey, hey, hey!_ " someone chimed in.

"Hey, hey, hey," Finley finished reluctantly.

"Yes, Finny boy!" Harry whooped, coming over and clapping him roughly on the shoulder. "Smellin' good, Maddy."

"Thanks, Haz. Chanel," she grinned at him as she assembled the cheeseburger. "Now shift, big guy."

"Big guy?" Harry repeated, offended. He stroked his beard with a heavily tattooed hand, then patted his beer belly. "I'll tell Janine you've been taking pieces out of the custom."

Maddy picked up the plates and skirted past him.

"Only you, Haz. Now who's this for?"

"Two guys in the corner," Finn said. He leaned in, "If you're talking for more than five minutes, I'm coming over there."

"Shut up," she said, asking over her shoulder. "Jealous?"

He repressed a grin as she teased him and walked over to the table with a purposeful swish of her hips for Finn to laugh at.

"Hey, guys. Salad?"

"Me, thanks," long-hair smiled as she put his food in front of him. "Looks great."

"That'll make you a burger," Maddy turned to the other man, sliding his plate onto the table.

"Been called worse," he said with a wink.

"I'll bet. Haven't seen you two around here before. Are you from Nebraska?"

"No, everywhere really. Just passing through."

"Enjoying your stay?"

The men exchanged a tired look that Maddy interpreted as a resounding 'no'.

"Your accent's telling me you're not from round here either," one of them pointed out.

"I moved to Maine from England when I was three, then here."

"And you kept the accent?" Long-hair asked.

"My parents were adamant. It's a lot more diluted than it used to be."

"So what's your name?" the other asked, taking a bite of his burger.

Maddy watched Long-hair shake his head exasperatedly but she smiled.

"Jailbait. You?"

Long-hair snorted into his beer.

"Name's Dean," the other said, unfazed. "And why is everything sexual?"

"Dean," Long-hair scoffed.

"I'm Maddy," she said, thoroughly amused by the exchange. "And for the record, I turned eighteen a couple of weeks ago. Not exactly jailbait but you'll be bait for that rabble over there."

She motioned her head to the congregation around the bar.

"I'm Sam," Long-hair said, before Dean could speak. "I take it you were responsible for the Simon and Garfunkel singalong?"

"It's my thing," she shrugged. "American Pie is midnight. You get a free drink if you know all the verses."

Dean clapped his hands together, "I'll take it now."

"It's the extended version," Maddy challenged.

"Bring it on."

"Okay," a voice said, an arm wrapping around her shoulders. "Let's let these gentlemen eat in peace."

Maddy punched Finn in the stomach harmlessly enough, but he doubled over with a wince.

"I'll have you know I'm good for the digestion," she said. "Give me a shout if you need anything, guys."

"Thanks, Maddy," Sam said with a smile while Dean laughed at the pained expression on Finn's face.

"Finn, come on!"

He grumbled but followed her back to the bar. As usual, she fell into conversation with Keith, their resident borderline alcoholic. Finn teased her that she supplied the drinks and therapy to the guy. It wasn't hard. Mostly he just talked quietly at her and all she had to do was listen and nod her head when he wanted her to. She watered down his drinks as much as possible, more concerned about his liver than doing her job properly.

Today, he was talking about his ex wife.

He talked nonstop for twenty minutes before his eyes began to get misty and he stood up unsteadily.

"Sit back down, Keith," Finn said, pushing him back down in his seat.

"I've called your sister," Maddy said. "She'll be coming to pick you up in five minutes."

"Can go myself," he slurred, leaning against Finn.

Maddy smiled at him, "You can't go driving like this and you know it."

"Wut's point anyway?" he mumbled. "Can't do anything right, can I?"

Finn slapped his back, "Don't say that, bro."

"You're good kids," he said before closing his eyes and putting all his weight into lying against Finn's side.

"I'll go wait for Rachel," Maddy said, coming out from behind the bar and through the door into the night.

The parking lot was empty. A twinkle from the far side caught Maddy's eye, and she sighed. The moonlight had cast a glimmer over a pile of broken glass by the dumpster. Maddy pursed her lips, knowing that she and Finn would get it in the neck from Janine if she came back and saw it. She crossed the lot and squatted, picking up the shards and throwing them into the rusting bin.

The alcohol on the glass making it both sticky and slimy, the biggest bits kept slipping out of her hands. She had to grapple with a particularly large chunk, and had finally managed to get a good grip when a hand touched her shoulder. She jumped, the edge of the glass taking a slice out of the side of her palm.

"Damn it," she muttered, slipping her hand further into her sleeve and turning to see who had surprised her.

"Sorry to startle you."

A tall man in a dark bomber jacket and a green scarf stood in front of her, giving her a lopsided grin. He was thin, with a severe face that seemed almost translucent under the moonlight.

"No, it's fine," Maddy said, ever polite. "Can I help you?"

"I'm new around here. Lost my buddies I was travelling with and I know their first port of call would be a... fine establishment such as this," he nodded to the quaint country bar.

There was something about his smile that was wrong. It showed too many teeth, and too little sincerity. His stance was off, too. Whether it was his height or a conscious move, he seemed to tower over her. She was 5'6", so not overly little but this guy made her feel tiny.

"I haven't really seen any new guys. Just a local joint, you know?" she flashed a smile.

"Maybe you overlooked them? They're tall, one with longish hair, the other smaller and sorta… roguish? Both wearing flannel? Would have ordered a cheeseburger and a salad?"

Maddy hesitated, her brain whirring as fast as it could. This guy didn't give the same pleasant aura the other two had. Their smiles had been without malice. His teeth looked like they wanted nothing more than to take a bite of her. But they must know each other or how could he have rattled off their orders?

"No, sorry. Haven't had anyone in looking like that," she lied before she knew what she was doing. A burst of fear jolted through her but she l with it now.

The man regarded her silently for five long seconds before his face split into another stomach-turning smile

"Oh well, worth a try."

He held out his left hand to shake but Maddy had to hold her right. He raised an eyebrow, eyes dropping down to her bleeding left hand. His eyes widened slightly as his hand shot out to grab hers. He brought it up to his face, inspecting the cut.

"It's fine," she said, feeling very uncomfortable. "I'm a med student - almost anyway. I know how to take care of it."

He prodded a little at the cut, parting the skin. It made her wince and try to pull her hand away but he held on tightly.

"Let me go, please."

He didn't answer. He seemed transfixed by the broken skin of her palm. He squeezed slightly and watched a bead of blood roll down the crease of her hand and drop to the ground. Taking advantage of his distraction, Maddy wrenched her hand out of his and backed up towards the door.

"There's a bar further down the road," there wasn't but she wanted him gone. "You might find your friends there."

He stared at her, his mouth drooping open slightly. He slammed it shut with a clack of his teeth, then licked his lips before he spoke.

"I never got your name."

"Mia."

"See you later, Mia. Thank you very much," he gave a short bow and turned away from her, stalking out of the parking lot and round the corner to the bar she knew didn't exist.

Once he was gone, she let out a breath, leaning her forehead against the wall.

Well that wasn't weird at all.

"Maddy?"

She spun, pressing her back close to the wall, heart beating wildly.

"Hey, it's me," Rachel held up her hands. "You called about Keith?"

Maddy managed to plaster a smile on her face.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Come on in."

"You okay?" Rachel asked as the younger girl held open the door for her. "Look a little spooked."

"Just a migraine. There he is," Maddy pointed Keith out and just like that, Rachel's attention was completely honed in on her brother as she and Finn helped him to the car.

Maddy took another moment to compose herself before walking over to Dean and Sam.

She picked up their plates, resting them on her sleeve-covered right hand and ignoring the sting. She opened her mouth to tell them about the man looking for them but something made her stop. She didn't want him coming back if they were indeed friends. Instead, she gave them a smile and headed to the kitchen with the plates. She got halfway before her conscience got the better of her and she turned back to them.

"Everything okay?" Sam asked, frowning a little at her strange behaviour.

"Yeah. Actually, I just met someone who seemed to be looking for you. Described you perfectly. I just - "

Both were immediately out of their seats, their faces serious.

"Tall? Black hair? Pale?"

"Green scarf?"

"Yeah, all that," Maddy folded her arms. "You could tell your friend to be a little less creepy when he's staring at a girl alone in a parking lot at night."

"Did he touch you?" Dean demanded.

"What?"

"Did he hurt you? Bite you?"

"Bite me? No, of course not. What are you talking about?" she looked to Sam to see if she could get any more sense from him but he was looking at her sleeve. Blood was beginning to seep through the material.

"Dean," Sam said.

Dean followed his gaze. He was furious now. He seized her hand, making her hold back a yelp as he turned her palm over to get a look.

"Did he do this?"

"No, it was glass. He just startled me. Listen, it'll be fine with some steri-strips," she tried to wrench her hand away but again, failed.

"Was he bleeding?"

"No. Now let go," she said forcefully.

"Are you positive it was the glass?"

"One hundred percent."

"This is important."

"For God's sake, I'm not lying! And what does it matter? Got rabies or something, has he?"

"Something like that," Dean muttered, letting go of her.

Maddy clutched her arm to her chest, putting a few more steps' distance between them.

"What did you tell him about us?" Sam asked urgently.

"I said I hadn't seen you and sent him to a non-existent bar at the other side of town. Sorry."

"No. Thank you."

"You've probably just saved your life," Dean added.

"Dean!" Sam chasisted.

"Okay, whatever this is," Maddy said, backing further away from them. "I don't want anything to do with it. Just let me close up and go."

"Maddy," Sam said, following her.

"Please don't," she said quietly, motioning with her head to the few remaining at the bar. "I don't want to cause a scene. Just leave me alone."

Sam watched helplessly as she ushered out the locals, offering to call cabs for any who needed it. Only the big guy, Keith remained, and he left with Finn as Maddy promised she'd lock up.

"Sam, we have to go. They know we're here," Dean said.

"He knows the scent of her blood now. He knows it well, Dean, did you not see how red her wrist was. He held it up to his face and she could be lying about him having a taste, or vice versa."

"What do you want me to do? Kidnap her?" Dean hissed.

"I'd rather do that than have to gank her by the end of the night," Sam hissed back.

They fell silent as Maddy flipped the lights off in the kitchen and closed the door, pulling on an orange knitted hat and coat. She paused at seeing them alone in the bar. Her eyes darted to the door and Sam knew what she was thinking.

"We're not gonna hurt you," he said. "Promise."

She gave him a 'seriously?' look.

"Murderers don't usually give a disclaimer, brainiac."

She was talking big but he heard the tremor in her voice. She was barely eighteen alone in a bar with two strangers - with at least a foot on her - talking about her saving her life . Of course she was scared.

Sam grimaced at Dean. Did they tell her? If they did, would she freak out and jeopardise all three of them? How could they convince her to get to safety without her knowing the threat? Would she even be capable of keeping herself safe? They knew nothing about the girl.

"Listen," Dean began. "Kid - "

"I'm not - "

Sam blinked as the lights suddenly shut off. He wheeled towards the doors, fixing his gaze on them.

"Crap," Dean muttered.

"What's happening?" Maddy whispered. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Maddy, I swear to you this isn't us," Dean said. "You need to do everything we say if you wanna survive, okay?"

"Survive?" Maddy repeated, eyes wide.

"Yeah," Dean snapped. "You got your head straight yet?"

"No," she clenched her jaw, shook her head slightly and looked back up. Sam glanced back and still saw the fear in her eyes but her expression was otherwise impassive. "Yes."

"Go behind the bar, tuck yourself as out of sight as possible," Sam told her.

"It doesn't matter, they'll be able to smell her blood," Dean said.

"My blood?" Maddy asked. "They can smell my blood? What the fuck?! Who are these people?"

"They're not people," Dean said through gritted teeth. "Just do as Sam says."

Maddy was quiet for a moment.

"Okay."

Silently, she climbed over the bar and squirrelled herself away underneath the pumps.

"You good, Maddy?" Sam asked as he twitched the curtain aside and scanned the parking lot.

"Yes."

"Good, now has this place got a back door?"

"Yeah, I locked it."

"Where?"

"Through the kitchen."

Sam helped his brother drag a table over to the kitchen doors, wedging it under the handle.

"Least it's not a swing door," Maddy said, watching them. Her voice was faint. "Always complained about that."

Sam sent her a smile. Dean was completely serious.

"That isn't going to hold," he grumbled, biting his lip.

"It isn't supposed to. It's just to buy us some time," Sam consoled.

Dean kept shooting nervous looks at Maddy, who was getting paler by the second. Her chances of getting out of this were extremely slim. Hell, the odds were stacked against them, never mind her.

"Maddy, you listening?"

"I'm not in shock," she said.

"Yet," he added silently. "Good. Listen, some shit's gonna go down. If something happens to us and you can get out, just round the outside of the parking lot, there's a Chevy Impala. There's a compartment in the trunk with weapons if you need them. If you can, just," he fought down the urge to retch. "Just… drive her, okay? Get out of here."

He took the keys from his pocket, kissed them, and threw to her behind the bar. She caught them and stashed them in her pocket.

There was a bang outside in the parking lot. It sounded like the dumpster turning over. A small whoop came through the window, punctuated by a yell.

"These things aren't human, okay, Maddy?" Sam said. "You still with us?"

"Yes," she said stiffly. "So what are they?"

"Vampires. Don't laugh, don't question it, just believe it, okay? Just for an hour, just tonight," Dean said roughly. "Don't take a chance with your life. You got a whole lot of it ahead of you, understand?

"Y-yes," she repeated, her voice cracking. "How do you…?"

"Take the head off."

"Shit."

"Don't worry, if this goes right, you won't have to," Sam said.

Maddy was about to reply when there was another bang against the door.

"Just stay down," he continued.

He adjusted his grip on his knife.

"Everything's gonna be fine."

A succession of raps on the door sounded like machine gun fire.

"C'mon boys! You've got dinner in there!" the voice of the man from the parking lot hollered. "It's not nice to snatch!"

Maddy looked down at her hand. It had stopped bleeding, the blood now darkened and drying on her skin.

Am I dying tonight? She wondered with alarming idleness.

Was this the shock starting to set in?

"Can't you see we're closed, asshole!" Dean yelled back.

She heard a cackling laugh and a quiet mumble, then silence.

Silence.

Then chaos.

The door slammed open into the wall, letting in a cacophony of screaming, snarling, and grunts of pain. Maddy curled in on herself, pressing her hands over her ears and tucking her feet under her thighs. The sound dampened, as it had all those years ago, until all she could feel and hear was the sound of her own breathing. The image of her lungs expanding, her diaphragm lowering to drag in more air, then squeezing it back out.

Little bursts of light flickered in the darkness of her closed eyes. Stars. Tiny and puncturing. Bundles of raw, calming power.

Her seven year old fingers brushed against roof tiling, a breeze flitting across her face.

Then a voice.

 _Hi, apple pie…_

Her head jerked up, colliding with the bar counter. She was going into herself and she couldn't afford to.

The sound came rushing back just in time for a glass to smash against the wall above her. The shards rained down on her hair. She brushed them away, but kept hold of one especially large chunk.

There was a pained yell that she knew belonged to -

"Dean!" Sam yelled. "HEY! Get away from him!"

Maddy peeked over the counter, sucking in a breath when she saw the state of the bar. There were two motionless strangers on the floor. Sam was grappling with another two and two were holding down a struggling Dean. He was putting up a hell of a fight but the other one was stronger. The vampire. He was going for Dean's mouth, his hand covered in blood.

They were real.

"Fuck," Maddy breathed.

"Dean!" Sam yelled, cut off by a punch in the gut. He doubled over, gasping, "Dean, fight."

Maddy's eyes shot to the kitchen door. It was open, the table upturned as Dean had predicted. Before she knew what she was doing, her legs propelled towards the kitchen, like a coiled spring. She dived through the doorway, cringing as she heard one of them shout -

"Hey! There's the other one!"

"Maddy!" Sam yelled, voice hoarse. "Run!"

She had just gotten to the other side of the kitchen when she heard the door shut behind her. She turned. A figure she didn't recognise stood in front of the door, grinning at her.

"You'll do nicely," she said, walking towards Maddy.

Maddy pressed herself against the back door, feeling for the lock.

"You think you'll have time to do what you're thinking? You think you can run that fast? Hmm?" the woman taunted. "You've got some things to learn, lovely."

She was right. There was no way she could get away without a distraction.

Inching to the counter she had prepared Sam's salad on, Maddy slipped the shard of glass from her pocket.

"Where you going?" the vampire asked. "You smell amazing. I could track you all the way China, little one. Give it up."

Maddy's left hand curled around her prize from the chopping board, keeping it close to her back.

"Fine," she breathed, allowing herself to go still.

The vamp cocked her head at her, then smiled.

"That's better."

Waiting for her to come so close to her face was agonising. She waited. Waited. The vamp was taking her time. Finally, they were almost nose to nose.

"Good g - "

Maddy lashed out with the shard of glass, aiming for the woman's abdomen. She quickly deflected it, sending it spinning across the tiles.

"That was - "

The knife Maddy had taken from the counter, embedded itself into the vamp's neck before she could finish her sentence. Blood spurted from the wound as Maddy yanked it out and lashed out again, this time on the other side. The woman fell to her knees, clutching her throat.

Knowing it wouldn't kill her, Maddy burst from the kitchen door, tearing across the parking lot. She crossed faster than she ever thought possible, her shoes kicking up gravel and glass as she skidded to a stop around the corner. A Chevy Impala sat at the roadside.

"Yes," Maddy whispered, wasting no time popping the trunk with the keys in her pocket.

She lifted up the trunk, frowning to find it empty.

"Seriously?"

With a shaking hand, she patted down the dark corners, wondering if she would find a pocket knife buried away. That was when she realised how shallow it was. With the size of the backend of the car, the trunk should have been at least a few inches deeper.

Tucking her fingers down the side of the upholstery, Maddy hoisted it up. Her jaw went slack. Inside was a secret compartment, filled with a terrifying arsenal of weapons. For a moment, she just stared before a shattering of glass from the bar split the air and reminded her why she was there.

She grabbed two machetes - ignoring her impulse to scream 'I'm holding a freaking machete!' - and sprinted back to the bar.

She reached the gaping hole where the front door used to be and peered round the corner.

Dean looked like he was about to get the upper hand in his fight, but now Sam was on the floor too. Sam's eye was bruised but neither looked they were bleeding.

Oh this is stupid. This is a whole new species of stupid, a voice inside her head said.

Maddy did what she did best, and ignored it.

Maddy placed one of the machete blades into the cut on her palm, opening it back up and widening to her wrist. Not a second later, blood began to bubble freely from it again. She fought the urge to cry out, adrenaline and the cold helping to take the edge off somewhat.

"Hey!" she yelled, stepping into the room.

The three remaining vampires snapped their attention to her. Then their eyes dropped to the blood dripping from her hand. Green-scarf was the most enraptured.

"Maddy, go!" Dean barked.

"Come on," Maddy said shakily, balling her hand into a fist and drawing out more blood. It fell into the creases of her skin and knuckles. "I smell good, don't I? I'm pescatarian so not very meaty, but I do drink more red wine than I should…"

As she expected, Green-scarf let Dean drop to the ground and darted for her. As soon as he moved, Maddy stooped to pick up the machete she had propped against the outside wall and threw it to Dean.

"Dean!"

He caught it, surging forward and slicing Green-scarf the second before he could touch her. His eyes seem to waver on hers before his head dropped and rolled forwards, his body not far behind.

Dean wasted no time turning on the two wrestling with Sam. Maddy broke out of her shock enough to pass Sam the other machete. As soon as it left her hand, she turned and leant her forehead against the wall, closing her eyes.

She wished she hadn't heard the squelching noises or the thump of the bodies dropping to the ground. Someone stomped into the kitchen to finish the wounded one.

Soon it was quiet.

"You okay?" Dean asked Sam.

"I'm good. You?"

"Fine. Hey, Maddy?"

She went to speak but her voice failed her so she just gave a nod of acknowledgment. Her hands were shaking so badly that blood was dripping in splotches across the floor.

"You did well, kid," Dean said, walking over to her. "You okay?"

She nodded silently, not yet letting go of the wall.

"I know you're scared but we gotta move and we can't leave you here," he said. "Gotta get your game face back on, okay? There are more of these sons of bitches and we're at the top of their hit list."

Maddy took three more calming breaths before turning round and facing them.

"Okay, I'm okay," she said rather unconvincingly but she wasn't in total shock meltdown, so Dean ran with it. "Where are you gonna go?"

"I…" Dean cast a look at Sam.

Where could they go? They couldn't put more people in danger, but they needed a place to crash, recuperate, and plan.

"You wouldn't happen to know anywhere secluded around here, would you?" Sam asked, reading his brother's mind. "Out of the way, abandoned maybe?"

Maddy thought.

"There's my house," she said. "It's a converted farmhouse. We have no one around for three miles."

"What about your parents?"

"They're in New York, working. Brother's away at college."

"For how long?" Dean asked.

"My parents won't get back for another three weeks or so. Brother not until the summer."

Sam chewed his lip, raising his eyebrows at Dean.

"We don't want to put you in any more danger than we already have," he said. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. You guys just saved my life."

"I'd say you did quite a chunk of the saving," Sam said with a grin.

"Yeah well, without you I wouldn't have gotten out of the kitchen."

"How's that?"

"You ordered the salad. If you hadn't, the knife wouldn't have been out and I would have been vampire fodder," she said with a light laugh.

Dean flinched a little at the laugh.

She was going to freak soon.

"You still got the car keys?" Dean asked.

She fished in her pocket and nodded.

"Okay, go sit in there. We'll sort these out."

"Yeah," she managed a smile. "If you could put something in the Maddy Tip Jar, that would be appreciated. You know, for the, uh, quick machete delivery."

Sam and Dean smiled, the former chuckling a little.

"I'll find something."

* * *

 **You can keep up to date with this fic and my Peaky Blinders story on my Twitter because it's just easier to communicate on there. You can find me at you_haventmetme or through the link in my profile.**

 **You can also find this story on AO3 and Wattpad under the same name so you can read on your preferred medium.**

 **Until the next time, lovelies.**


	2. Chapter 2

Just as they had predicted, aside from the directions she gave to her house, Maddy was silent in the back of the Impala as they drove. She had wrapped her hand with a bar towel, assuring them that she had plenty supplies back at the house.

Dean found himself slowing down for once on the country roads with the limited light and deep ditches by the side of the road up to the house. It was a relief when he pulled up outside the lightless building. He turned to see Maddy staring at the back of Sam's head, no doubt replaying the night's events in her mind. She had been thrust into a new world she should have been safe from, and now she was questioning everything she knew. Dean had seen that thought-process in too many people's eyes.

"Maddy. This it?" Sam asked.

She snapped back to reality at the sound of her name. She had to look around to see where she was, and frowned. She probably didn't remember leaving the bar. She hadn't been very responsive since.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, this is it."

"Big place," Dean remarked.

"Suppose."

They climbed out, Sam and Dean slowing down to allow Maddy to climb the steps to the porch and open the door. She flipped on the lights and headed straight for a door to the left. It opened onto a set of dark stairs.

"The light's broken so just be careful," she said, leading the way down.

There was another door at the bottom, so small that they had to duck to get through. By the time they were inside, Maddy had turned on the light to reveal a large basement separated up into a small kitchen, sofa, bed, wardrobe, bookshelf, and desk area.

"This is mine," she said, throwing down her bag on the table. "Make yourselves at home. We'll have to stay in here. Jackie will know if we've been in any of the other rooms."

"Jackie?" Dean questioned.

"My mother."

"You don't call her 'mom'?"

"No."

With a small hiss of pain, she shrugged off her coat and laid it over the back of the sofa, wincing as it caught her hand.

"Are you two hurt?" she asked.

"No, we're good," Sam said.

"I'll get you some ice for that eye."

She crossed the room to her wardrobe, digging around to pull out a suitcase. She unzipped it and pulled out a white gel-filled pack. She chucked it to Sam.

"Throw it in the fridge. It'll be ready in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks," he said, sounding a little confused as he did what he was told. "I'll be fine though."

She ignored him, bringing out a light blue box and sitting down at the table with it. With her right hand, she tied up her hair, so that only her brown fringe remained on her face. Dean sat opposite her, curious. Sam also paused in the kitchenette.

Unaware of the attention of the two men, Maddy popped open the box and took out a bottle of surgical disinfectant and a cotton pad. She tipped some of the solution on the pad and held it to the wound on her hand. She inhaled sharply, Dean subconsciously doing the same. That had to hurt.

She just closed her eyes, breathed, then began to clean, dragging the pad through the cut to remove any debris. Once it was sufficiently blood stained and her wound clean, she discarded it and went back to digging in the box with her good hand.

When she brought out the needle and thread, Dean intervened.

"We can do that for you, you know," he said.

She jumped a little, forgetting they were there.

"It's fine," she said with a more genuine smile than she had given since the attack. "I'm good at this. I wouldn't have needed it if I hadn't opened it up further back there."

"It's just - "

Maddy threaded the needle and pierced the side of the cut closest to her, levelled the needle, then pulled it through the other side. She did it all without so much as a wince, so focused on the procedure that she didn't fully register the pain. She repeated the process over and over until she reached the end of the wound, just between her little and ring finger. She finished it off with a knot and a tight bandage.

Once done, she sighed to herself, then stood up and moved past Sam to the fridge. She took out the cold gel pack and handed it to a gaping Sam. He took it silently.

"You're one tough chick," Dean said, impressed.

"I'm going to med school in the fall, I'm going to have to be," she said as she began to tidy up her supplies. "Anyway, the closer you get it to the edge of the cut, the less it hurts. And a sharp needle helps. As does leftover shock. I've been practising on fruit for years."

"How come you have all that stuff?" Dean asked.

"Med student."

"Yeah I know, usually they provide the equipment."

"Never know when you might need it. Good job I had it anyway."

"Yeah," Sam said before Dean could say anything else.

There was a hush as Maddy scrubbed the blood from the table and changed her shirt in the bathroom.

"I've got beer," she said, pointing to a cooler beside Dean.

"You're only eighteen."

"I'm English - I'm of drinking age there. Besides, you see anyone here trying to stop me?"

"Fair enough."

He took two bottles out, throwing one to Sam and taking one himself.

"You want one?" he asked her.

"Pass the tequila."

Raising his eyebrow, he handed over the bottle, watching as she unscrewed the cap and took a swig. Her face contorted with the taste as she handed it back.

"Thanks."

She sat down on the couch facing them as Sam took a seat beside his brother at the table, holding the ice to his face.

"Do you, uh, wanna talk about what happened tonight?" Sam asked. "You'll have questions?"

She shook her head, offering him a smile that said 'don't worry about me' and turning onto the couch arm.

"Okay," Dean said. "So what's our next move?"

"Well the nest's on the outskirts of town and - "

Maddy tuned out. She closed her eyes, ignoring the throb in her hand. She was always fine when she was working - whether on a person or practicing on fruit or meat - it was always after that things came back into focus.

And _this_ was something she had never experienced before.

Vampires.

 _Vampires._

Freaking vampires.

She had seen them. One had touched her, another tried to kill her. She had played a part in cutting off their heads. She replayed that moment over in her mind's eye. The sound of the blade severing his cervical vertebrae and spinal cord. The way his head tumbled down his chest to her feet. The bright red of arterial blood and the deep dark purple of the venal blood.

It was a good job she wasn't squeamish.

 _At least I know I can handle a Friday night emergency room now,_ she thought positively.

But then a much darker thought filled her head. If vampires existed, what else did? Who else knew about them? Were they coming after _her_ now? Could this Sam and Dean really be trusted?

Maddy studied them through her lashes. They were in rapt conversation, their faces drawn in concentration. Every few seconds, Dean would take a swig of his beer and Sam would re-read a page from a book they had taken from the bag in the Impala. They seemed to have forgotten she was there.

 _Oh, Jackie if only you could see me now. Inviting strangers I met in a bar back to my little bedsit._

It would make the time she used the upstairs kitchen seem like a tantrum.

Michael would probably just be jealous of the fact she got to ride in a Chevy. If they were going to murder and dump her in a ditch, at least she would go out in style.

Maddy snorted lightly at the thought, but loud enough so that it garnered the attention of the men at her table.

"You okay?" Sam asked a little warily.

"Yeah," she hurried to assure them. "Yeah, yeah. Just, uh, just carry on."

"Uh, actually I think we're as far as we're gonna get. We'll wait until tomorrow and hit the nest. We'll be more prepared than we were tonight, I promise," Sam gave her an apologetic smile. "We would never have come near if we knew they'd tracked us."

"We've been a little preoccupied lately," Dean admitted, though not without a grunt of displeasure. "Sloppy. We're sorry."

Maddy looked at them blankly, "Are you serious?"

Sam frowned, "Uh…"

"You guys just saved my life and you're apologising?" she shook her head at them. "You two need some group therapy or something."

"Probably," Dean shrugged. "So, what, no burning questions?"

Maddy looked down at her lap.

"I don't think I have any I actually want to know the answers to," she mumbled.

"You don't need to, if you don't want to," Dean said, finishing off his beer. "We'll be out of here soon and you can pretend all of this didn't happen if you can."

"I can't," she replied instantly, then grimaced. "Sorry, that was snappy."

"You can afford to be snappy," Sam smiled.

"Yeah, we're snappy all the time," Dean added. "Specially him. I think it's the hair."

Sam sent his brother a look that managed to make Maddy laugh lightly.

"Nice bitch face," she complimented.

"Oh, he has it down to an art form," Dean rolled his eyes. "Mind if I get another beer?"

"Knock yourself out."

Maddy sat forward on the sofa, a frown settling on her face. She pursed her lips, deciding to go for it.

"So… look, I'm just gonna say this before I lose my nerve - what else is real?"

Sam and Dean exchanged a look which held an entire silent conversation. It looked like a grim one.

"Actually, I don't want to know," she rushed out.

They both raised their eyebrows at her.

"Okay, I do… NO!" she grasped her hair under her woollen hat. "This is completely crazy… Are ghosts real?"

"Yes," Dean said.

Alarm flashed across Maddy's face but ironed out as she took a breath, "I suppose that explains Toronto."

"Huh?"

"Never mind, I'm projecting," she dismissed. "Okay, so what else?"

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, not unkindly. "Because once you know this stuff, you can't un-know it."

Maddy chewed the inside of her mouth, thinking. Without a word, she stood up from the couch and walked behind the table to her kitchen cupboard, taking out two whiskey tumblers. The whiskey followed suit, which she placed on the table in front of Sam and Dean, along with the glasses. She then disappeared behind the kitchen counter.

"Are you having some?" Dean asked, impressed by the girl's alcohol supply.

Maddy straightened up from cupboard in the counter, holding a Winnie-the-Pooh mug.

"Of course."

She sat opposite them, pouring a generous amount into her mug and pushing the bottle towards them.

At their incredulous look, she elaborated.

"I don't entertain much. No need for _three_ whiskey glasses. Besides, everything tastes better out of a mug."

Maddy took a gulp of her drink and winced.

"Okay, I'm ready. Spin me a tale of the supernatural," she said wryly. "And then depending on whether I'm able to function afterwards, I'll set up a couple beds for you guys."

* * *

Forty minutes later, Maddy had finished an entire mug full of the whiskey. She listened almost in silence except for the occasional question, while Sam and Dean took turns explaining the part of the world Maddy had completely overlooked. Some things made sense - like that time in Toronto - some terrified her, some made her wonder how she hadn't noticed before, but there was a dutiful acceptance that settled in her once they had finished. There was no way she could deny it when she had seen them up close and headless.

"Okay," she said quietly, rising from the table. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Feel free to use the bathroom. Unlimited hot water."

She gave them a half smile and headed upstairs.

Once she was gone, Dean turned to Sam with a haggard look.

"I hate that conversation."

Sam nodded in silent agreement. It was just another innocent person who now knew too much, because of them.

"Listen, we'll be gone by tomorrow," Sam said. "We won't be anywhere near her. She seems strong, she might just be able to put it behind her, go to college, be normal."

"She better," Dean muttered. "People don't fair well around us."

"I know," Sam said, gaze falling down to the scar on his upturned palm. "We won't let that happen."

"We shouldn't have come here," Dean insisted.

"Maddy's blood is at the scene. The other vamps go to find out what happened to their buddies, smell her, and find her. The safest place for her right now is with us until tomorrow when we can hit the nest, just in case."

Dean grumbled and took another drink.

"Fine."

When Maddy returned, she had an armful of bedding almost bigger than her. Nevertheless, she had managed to navigate down the dark steps down to the basement, carrying them with no issues. She dumped them down by her bed and began to wrap three duvets up to make a mattress. She then put two pillows at the top and laid out a comforter over the top.

She stepped back and motioned to her bed and the makeshift one.

"You can fight over it."

"Where are you sleeping?" Dean asked, looking around for a second bed he might have missed.

"Oh I'll take the sofa."

"No, we can't do that," he protested.

"I usually do anyway," she said. "I don't really like the bed."

It occurred to Dean then how neat the bed was, compared to the slight clutter around the rest of the room. The decorative pillows were crisp and pointed upwards at the exact same angle, the corners of the comforter tucked tightly down against the mattress. Maddy noticed him looking and chuckled.

"Jackie did that. I don't see the point of pillows you can't lie on," she said.

Her mouth twitched to the side in thought for a moment. A small grin worked its way onto her face as she turned to the bed and threw the pillows against the wall with a dull thud. With one movement, she threw the double duvet back, messing up the perfect creases down the side.

Blowing her chestnut hair out of her face, she motioned to the bed again, grinning widely now.

"Is that more inviting?"

"If you're sure?" Dean asked, but he was smiling at the display.

"Honestly, I haven't slept in this bed for three years. It's just to keep up appearances."

Dean shrugged and held out a fist to Sam. Sam rolled his eyes and held out his own. On the count of three, Dean pulled scissors while Sam, rock.

"I don't get why we even have to do this anymore," Sam said, flopping down on the bed and sighing heavily in satisfaction. "Maddy, you're missing out. Is this memory foam?"

"I don't remember," she said, crossing to her wardrobe and pulling out a blanket and pillow.

Dean laughed more than he should have.

While Dean took a shower, Maddy curled up on the couch. Sam watched her, canting his head. The couch was much too small for her to stretch her legs out. Instead, they were closely tucked up to her chest, one arm wrapped around her stomach and the other dangling off the side. She had switched the orange hat for a chunkier yellow one, which was pulled down past her her eyebrows. It complemented her light brown skin.

She wasn't asleep, he could tell. She was pretending. At every little noise, her eyes would twitch beneath her eyelids and her fingers would clench together ever-so-slightly.

When Dean returned from the shower, dressed in sweats, her eyes snapped open, focused on him for a moment, then went back to pretending.

It was an issue of trust, and not uncalled for, Sam reasoned. She still didn't know if they were going to hurt her. It had been reckless enough for her to invite them back, sleeping around them would be even more dangerous. He cursed himself again for putting her in this situation.

Nevertheless, he and Dean needed a few hours sleep if they were going to be on top form to take out the nest, and they could leave Maddy and Nebraska behind. It couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

 **The Next Morning**

"Thanks again, Maddy," Sam said as they gathered their stuff together. "Best night's sleep I've had in a long time. I'm not lying! Honestly, use that bed."

Maddy laughed, "I might now you've hyped it up enough. I'd offer for you take it if it could fit in that Impala."

" _I_ can barely fit in it."

"There," Dean said, handing her back her phone. "It's got our numbers in now. We'll text to let you know we're okay, even though we will be."

He said that pointedly but Maddy had insisted. She knew she'd never be able to stop thinking about it if they took off after some vampires and were never heard of again.

"Thanks."

She stored her phone in the pocket of the knitted cardigan she was wearing over her clothes. Her eyes were heavy and rimmed with dark lines. She hadn't slept at all last night.

"What will you do about school?" Sam asked.

Dean rolled his eyes.

"I'll take a sick day," Maddy said flippantly. "I'm a bit of a special case so I have some online stuff set up. Are you sure I can't make you something to eat?"

"We'll hit up a drive thru on the way," Dean said. "You're a vegetarian."

"Oh, I see how it is. And I'm pescatarian."

Dean shrugged, "I like real food."

Maddy shook her head exasperatedly, "Get out."

"We're going," Sam said, pulling Dean by the shoulder down the steps to the Impala. "See you, Maddy."

"Stay alive," she replied somewhat lamely.

"We'll try."

* * *

Sam leant against the Impala bonnet as Dean rifled in the trunk for the weapons they would need. His eyes glazed over as he thought. That feeling was crawling through him again. A mixture of overwhelming guilt and dread. He'd forgotten for a whole day. Forgotten that he'd freed Lucifer. That he could cause so many people to lose their lives. People who don't deserve it.

"Sam?" Dean's voice cut through his thoughts.

Sam lifted his head, trying to clear his head. He gave an unconvincing smile.

"I'm fine."

Dean nodded, just as unconvincingly.

"Hey, for the next twenty minutes, the Devil doesn't exist, capiche?"

"Twenty minutes? That's optimistic."

"Just the kind of guy I am, Sammy," Dean said with a smirk. "This isn't another Big Bad. Just a vamp nest with an inflated ego. I bet we'll be out in _under_ twenty."

Sam just rolled his eyes, ready to reply when he froze, eyes fixed on something just over Dean's shoulder.

"What?" Dean asked, seeing the shift in his brother's expression.

"I thought I just saw a…" Sam narrowed his eyes at the edge of the parking lot. "I…"

"It's daylight," Dean said.

"But Dad said daylight doesn't do all that much."

"Still hurts 'em. Look, they wouldn't be out here if - "

"There!" Sam pointed.

Dean whirled around, gripping his machete tightly.

"Where?"

"Over - "

But Dean had seen it. The flash of movement too quick to be human, darting behind the cover of the trees lining the parking lot.

"Okay, I stand corrected," Dean grumbled. "But they won't be able to come out in this light, they'll have to stay in the shade… right?"

"Uhh."

Sam's mind was whirring to catch up. Dean had been right. They were so focused on their Big Bad that hunts had taken a backseat. They just didn't seem that important anymore, and now they were going to pay for it. He was scrabbling to pull that information to the forefront, casting everything else back. It was easier said than done.

"Yeah, I think - "

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" a voice too close to Sam said.

Both he and Dean spun to face it, eyebrows raising at the sight of one of the vamps from the nest, standing dressed in all black in full sun. The skin around his mouth and eyes were already starting to glow red, but he seemed unaffected by the pain.

"That's gotta burn," Dean pointed out.

The vamp shrugged, "I might feel the effects afterwards. I'll think of it as a hangover. Worry about that later, right now is time for fun."

He reached out his gloved hands and clapped once.

By instinct rather than foresight, Dean managed to catch one of the vamps hurtling towards him by the throat, lashing out with his machete and taking off her head in one swift movement. He didn't have time to celebrate as another jumped on him, pinning him against the Impala in time for Dean to see Sam be taken on by three others, blood already flowing from a gash on the side of his head. Sam swung out an arm, succeeding in throwing one off him and towards Dean, who wriggled free enough to take it down.

As the vamp fell, the one holding him let out a raw shriek. Dean realised, with a wince, that she must have been his mate.

 _Freaking great._

He turned Dean's face towards him, knocking the machete out of his hand, and glowered. His mouth twitched, no doubt wanting to rip him apart. Instead, he thrust Dean's head back into the door of the Impala, knocking him immediately unconscious.

"Dean!" Sam yelled, eyes wide at the prospect of being alone against all of them. He didn't have a chance.

He lashed out again but one of them gave a powerful kick to the back of his knee, sending him to the floor with a shout. His head hit the pavement. Vision swam.

The machete was still in his hand as a female vampire rolled him over onto his back, standing over him. Clenching his jaw, Sam brought the machete up towards her with as much force as he could.

She caught the blade in her hand.

"Ouch," she said nonchalantly, then gripped it tighter until blood ran down her arm in a dark red river.

She ripped it out of his hands and before he could even try to move, she had brought the handle down against his temple.

Sam joined the blackness with his brother, both of them knowing even in their unconscious states that they had royally screwed this one up.

* * *

Maddy knew in her caffeinated, sleep-deprived state that she had royally screwed up this one up, too. European history was usually an okay subject for her but the reading was sometimes a little difficult if she wasn't completely focused, as she wasn't that night. She had mixed up the kings she was supposed to be writing her essay on, having read the stimulus material wrong. Of course she would only notice after she'd finished, referencing and all.

"Damn you, dyslexia," she growled, slamming her hand down onto the stack of paper on the table.

She flinched as she jostled her forgotten stitches. Then her mind, as it had been doing the entire day, wandered to Sam and Dean and the… vampires. The fact of their existence had begun to sink in. The other stuff they had told her about - demons, werewolves, wendigos, rugarus, leviathan, angels - had yet to fully conceptualise. Hopefully it never would.

With a sigh of frustration, Maddy slammed her history text book down and got up to make herself a drink.

The TV was droning on about the state of the economy. The dodgy radiator was making a rattling noise.

The feeling was coming back.

Swallowing, Maddy reached for her iPod and turned on the Monkees, closing her eyes until the music started.

 _"Oh, I could hide, beneath the wings, of the bluebird as she sings,"_ Maddy murmured quietly. _"The six o'clock alarm would never ring."_

The soft instruments and Davy Jones' gentle voice overrode the other noises and Maddy focused on that, taking breaths in time with the music.

 _'But six rings and I rise_

 _Wipe the sleep out of my eyes_

 _The shaving razor's cold and it stings.'_

Maddy went to her wardrobe and switched her red knitted hat for her favourite, the yellow-brown coloured one, as she always did when she felt herself getting like this.

 _"Cheer up sleepy Jean!"_ she joined in for the chorus. _"Oh, what can it mean to a daydream believer and a homecoming queen?"_

For the rest of the song, Maddy sang along, feeling the tightness in her chest unknot slowly. She knew it would be back soon. The only thing that really worked was leaving and she knew she had to stay until Sam and Dean texted back to say they weren't dead. If anything, her splitting town after the bodies of the men she had been seen with last night at the bar turned up would raise a little suspicion.

 _Daydream Believer_ had finished for the third time when Maddy's phone began to ring. She dived for it, answering and putting it to her ear before even checking who was calling.

"Are you okay?" she demanded.

 _"Whoa, I'm asking_ you _that!"_

The sound of Finn's voice made Maddy's face fall.

"Finn? Why are you asking if I'm okay?"

 _"Mads, the bar was broken into last night. The place is completely trashed. They said they found blood and I know you were the last one there so I just panicked and - "_

"I'm fine, I promise."

 _"Is it your blood?"_

Maddy stopped herself before she could deny it. The local police department weren't exactly FBI-standard but they could test the blood found and trace it back to her if they did their jobs properly.

"Yeah - "

 _"Oh my God. I'm coming over. What happened? Are you badly hurt? Why haven't you said anything?!"_

"Finn!" Maddy snapped. "I'm fine. I cut myself on some glass as I was locking up. I was gonna clean up the blood on my next shift, I was just knackered and wanted to get home. I know _nothing_ about a break in. Was anything taken?"

That was a question oblivious people asked, wasn't it?

 _"You're not lying to me, are you?"_

"No, I'm not," Maddy said, annoyed at his concern despite knowing he was well within his rights to worry. "Look, I have to go. I'm waiting for a call."

 _"I'm still coming over."_

"Please, Finn, stay at home. It's nearly midnight. I'm just going to bed."

 _"No."_

"Finn! I promise you, everything is okay. If someone needs comfort, it's Janine. It is her bar, after all."

Finn was quiet on the other side of the phone. Finally, she heard him heave an irritated sigh.

 _"You're difficult when you want to be, Maddy Bradford."_

"Yeah, it's been said," Maddy replied tonelessly.

 _"I didn't mean it like that… Look, is there anything I can do for you at all? Just to make myself feel better? I can't see myself getting any sleep any time soon."_

Finn suffered from insomnia. Maddy knew from the few nights she had spent with him how he would lie awake while she drifted off beside him, and how he just wanted to be doing something to take his mind away from his inability to sleep.

"Actually," Maddy bit her lip in thought. "Can you still do that thing with the phones?"

 _"What, tracking? Yeah, that's what I did my extra credit for in computer science last week. Why, you stalking someone?"_

"This girl last night gave me her number and said she'd call when she got home. She was worried about taking a cab. It's just, she hasn't called yet and I just want to see where her phone is to see if she got home. Can you do that?"

As always, her lying talent was flawless. Whether she should exactly be proud of that, Maddy liked not to think about.

 _"Yeah, don't see why not. I still have a version of Mr Gregor's software before he takes it off me for, you know, legal reasons."_

"How illegal is this?"

 _"Meh."_

"Are you okay with 'meh'?"

 _"Duh. Now give me this number and let me be useful."_

* * *

 **As ever, this chapter is available on Fanfiction, Wattpad, and AO3, and linked on Twitter at you_haventmetme**


	3. Chapter 3

When Dean felt himself slowly waking up, he forced himself not to reach up and rub the blood from his eyes. Playing dead was harder with burning eyes. Hanging limply from what he assumed was a pipe or the ceiling, he recalled what he could remember last. He silently cursed as it came back to him. They'd been careless. What was with them with this case?! It was a miracle Maddy survived and now it would be a miracle if _they_ survived and Cas would have to -

 _Stop,_ Dean thought.

Being preoccupied was what got them into this mess to start with. He had told the same to Sam but hadn't followed his own advice. Bobby's voice came back to him as soon as the thought crossed his mind.

 _Idjit!_

 _Got it, Bobby,_ Dean thought back grimly.

He strained his ears for any sound of Sam, but knowing how similar they were, even if he was conscious, he would be playing dead just like him. It was up to him to make the first move.

Groaning as if he was just rousing, Dean blinked blearily at the dark room. He rubbed his eyes on his arm, which was bound up to a - _yup, pipe. Original._

Eyes clear, Dean scoured the room for Sam. He found him on the other side of the room, which looked like an old wine cellar. The shelves were empty except for a few jars holding red liquid that he knew wasn't wine.

"Sam," Dean hissed.

Sam was bound like him, with his hands tied up to a hook hanging from the ceiling. His long hair had fallen over his face, blood matting the brown strands on his brow. Dean felt a flash of anger. No matter how many times he saw Sam beaten up - so, so, so many times - he never got used to it.

"Sammy," he tried again, lurching forwards against the rope uselessly. "C'mon, man."

Sam's head jerked at the sound of his name. He inhaled deeply, then rose his head stiffly.

"Dean?"

His voice cracked with lack of use.

"Hey. You good?"

"That depends on your definition," Sam said as he looked around to gather his bearings. "Yeah, I'm alright. Got a plan?"

"Seriously, Sam? Plans are your territory. You're supposed to be the brains."

Sam sent him a bitch-face.

"Give me a minute, I've only been awake ten seconds."

"It's a good job _I've_ got a plan then, isn't it?" Dean said.

"Really?"

"We smooth talk 'em."

Sam let out a humourless laugh.

"Great."

Before Dean could defend his genius plan, the door to the cellar cracked open.

"Ah, fellas!" a deep, unfamiliar voice cried. "We're up! Fantastic."

A tall man looking in his late forties came down swaggering down the steps. He skipped the bottom two and landed with a bright smile on his pale face.

"I've been waiting for you!"

"It takes time to look this good," Dean grinned.

Sam shook his head at his brother, while the strange vampire just looked amused.

"So I assume you're the maker around here?" he went on.

"Oh, how rude of me. Ambrose Whittaker," he held out his hand for Dean to shake, then looked up at his chained hands and winced, shrugging. "Sorry. I forgot about that."

"No problem," Dean smiled sarcastically.

The vamp pushed back his long blonde hair, his smile not faltering for a second. He was obviously having the time of his long life.

"Sam and Dean Winchester. Wow," he said, folding his arms and leaning against the shelving. "How are you, Sam? You're quiet."

Sam sent him a glare. The cellar door opened again, and three more vamps filtered in, staying behind Whittaker and staring hungrily at the brothers.

"You know, I got wind of you two coming down here. They told me I was a fool for not running. They said," he laughed a little at the memory. "They said I wouldn't stand a chance. That you've take down monsters a million times stronger than I am."

He lifted his hand and allowed his followers to advance towards them.

Whittaker kept a self-satisfied smirk on his face as he said,

"Look at you now."

Dean repressed a cry as a knife embedded itself in his left forearm, thrown by the vamp closest to Sam. Sam struggled against his ties. His eyes widened a little as he felt the rope give just a tiny bit. He stopped moving, not wanting to draw attention to his loosening bonds. Instead, he maintained a fierce stare with Dean, silently communicating the situation. When Dean's eyes flickered up to Sam's tied hands, he knew his brother understood.

"This is worth it," Whittaker said, oblivious. "The few of us you managed to kill. To see you like this, it's worth _all_ of it."

Sam and Dean rolled their eyes, unaffected by his taunts. They were not unlike anything else a monster had tried to get a reaction out of them with.

"Oh!" Whittaker said. "And then there's the girl you were with the night you disposed of several of my children, in that bar. I went there. The stench of her blood was overwhelming. Smell like that, I could track down her entire bloodline if I wanted to!" he grinned maliciously, lowering his voice to a predatory growl. "How about this? How about I leave you two to stew down here while I go get her, huh? I would take great pleasure in tearing her apart right here in front of you."

"You - " Dean began.

 _"And then,_ " Whittaker interrupted. "When I've torn at every part of her I can, with her last breath, I'll change her. And then you can kill her yourselves before _I_ kill you. Sound like a playdate?"

"Son of a bitch," Dean spat. "I swear, if you touch her."

"She has nothing to do with anything," Sam said, a touch of desperation in his voice. "We don't know her. She's hasn't even finished high school!"

Whittaker shrugged, "She doesn't have to mean anything. You'll feel guilty either way, won't you?"

He shook his head at them, with an expression of almost fascination.

"Your weakness, it's just so accessible. Empathy," he said, twisting his face. "It's a dangerous thing, boys. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date. It's rude to keep a girl waiting. And then I might check out the local kindergarten if things get boring later."

With a mocking bow, Whittaker turned to head up the steps to the door. At the top step, he held out his hand to summon his clan.

"Heinrich. You stay. I'll give you the pleasure of the foreplay."

"Whittaker! This is you chance for us to go easy on you!" Dean yelled. "You take this outside the three of us and we won't hold back."

Whittaker glanced back, looking between them.

"Oh, I'd hope not. See you soon."

* * *

Sam hunched over with a gasp as Heinrich aimed another punch at his stomach. The pain wasn't nearly as bad as the panic he felt at the thought of Whittaker dragging Maddy there to her death, because of them. Another person they would have gotten killed, and she hadn't even gotten to college.

Still, he kept up the pretence of the pain affecting him more than it was. There was no reason for Heinrich to up his game and jeopardise their escape. His recoils from the punches allowed him for a cover to wrangle his hands further out of the ropes without attracting any attention. So when Dean shouted that it was his turn, Sam sent him a glare.

Dean didn't care. He was sick of seeing Sam being pummelled the way he was with no chance of fighting back.

Heinrich acquiesced and placed a cutting jab to his chin. Dean's tooth pierced his bottom lip, bursting it with a spray of blood. He smiled, showing his bloodstained teeth.

"Dramatic, huh?" Dean said.

Pain blossomed across his chest as Heinrich seemed to be doing his best to break his ribs.

After the fifth consecutive blow, the pressure and pain told him that one more of those and he would be hearing a crack, and if he was extra lucky, he would feel blood pooling into his lungs.

But that blow didn't come. Heinrich's arm stretched backwards - he was a terrible telegrapher of his punches, as Dean had pointed out - but it didn't land on the purpling skin of his chest. Instead, the vampire was spun to face Sam, now free and sporting his best pissed off face.

Sam, having no issues with telegraphing, shot his fist out to Heinrich's face before he could even think to react. He flopped back. Sam grabbed him, bringing his knee up to his face and breaking his nose. Not giving him time to recover, Sam dragged him over to where his rope hung. In a matter of seconds, the rope was around Heinrich's neck, suspending him off the floor, his legs dangling feebly in midair.

"The jars," Dean said.

Sam nodded and reached for one, hurling it to the ground. It smashed. He bent, picking up the biggest piece and walking back to Heinrich, who had begun realise what was happening. He kicked out with his feet. Sam angled himself behind him and began hacking away at his neck.

Dean tapped his foot impatiently.

"Finally!" he exclaimed when Heinrich's head dropped to the floor.

"Oh sorry, I'll save your ass quicker next time," Sam scowled as he used the glass to cut away Dean's ropes.

The fibres separated, letting Dean's arms drop. He rubbed them together to try and get the feeling flowing through them again.

"We need to get Maddy," Dean said.

"He has a head start," Sam pointed out.

"But we have something he doesn't."

"Which is?"

Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Her number."

Seeing Dean's slightly swollen fingers, Sam snatched the phone from his brother's hands and called Maddy's number. He put it to his ear as Dean led the way up the steps, armed with more shards of glass.

 _"Hi, this is Maddy. I assume you know that. Anyway, if you have a message, feel free to leave it after the tone. If this is Jack, kindly fuck off. Thanks!"_

"Voicemail."

"Try again," Dean said, cracking the door open and ushering Sam through.

"Yeah, on it."

 _"Hi, this is Maddy. I assume you - "_

"Same. Damn it."

Dean held out his hand as they rounded a corner, motioning for Sam to stop. They paused, suspended in silence, before Dean gave the all clear and they jogged up a long corridor, past rooms with broken down doors and boarded up windows.

Another two corridors and, suspiciously, no vampires, they reached the door. It was an old hotel, they realised as they quietly crept around the front door and stepped out into the darkness of night.

"We've been out longer than we thought," Sam muttered.

"Yeah, no kidding. This isn't good."

Night was when vampires were at their strongest. And Sam and Dean, armed with little more than a broken jar each and covered in the scent of their blood, were far from at their best.

"How did we manage to screw this one up so bad?" Dean hissed through his teeth.

He wasn't even surprised when he heard the scuttle down the side of the hotel, among the rubble left behind as it fell into ruin. Sam stood behind him, their backs touching as they brandished the glass. Slowly three vamps rose from their hiding spots, stalking towards them.

"He said you'd be slippery," a female said indulgently. "I'll get the rugged one."

"I assume you mean me," Dean said.

"Of course."

"Not the time Dean," Sam said, holding up his arm to block a strike by another female vamp.

She grabbed his arm, tugging him away from Dean, twisting it behind his back. Sam groaned in pain, trying to kick away from her but her super strength was proving to be tougher than he was capable of matching in his concussed state.

"Sa - " Dean was cut off, intent on slashing one with the glass, but only managing to nick their neck.

He held tight to the glass even though he could feel it cutting into his skin.

A hand wrapped around his own neck, lifting him up off his feet and slamming him against the brick wall. The hand squeezed, stemming his air until he could feel his face turning fuzzy and black spots splash across his vision.

"Dean!" he could hear Sam cry but from too far away, though he couldn't have been more than a few feet.

The black spots grew bigger and bigger as the hand got tighter and tighter and -

Screeching?

A person? Sam? Or… tires?

Dean felt his feet touch the floor again, his body following soon after. He was gasping, sucking air into his now clear throat. Where had the vamp gone? His vision still swam, a haze of light and dark.

He jumped as a hand touched his. It was cold and slipped something even colder into his palm, closing his fingers around it. He tried to grab at them but they were gone, running away from him and towards…

Dean blinked hard. By the time he could see, a familiar hand was in his, pulling him to his feet.

"S'm?"

Sam clapped him on the shoulder, "It's me. You good?"

Dean gave his head a shake, his vision now fully back. His breathing was still a little fast but he was otherwise unharmed. He looked down at the ground, which was scattered with three bodies, their heads beside them.

"How the hell did you do that with a broken jar?" Dean asked, shocked.

Sam held up a machete and then pointed to his brother's hand. Dean looked down and found another there.

"How did you - how did _I_ get this?" Dean asked, taking a closer look the machete. "These are ours."

Sam motioned with his head to a rusty green car a little further up the road. Leaning on the hood, picking at her stitches, was Maddy.

"Maddy?" Dean frowned, making his way over to her. "You okay? What the hell?"

"I'm fine," she answered, pushing her yellow hat from her eyes to scrutinise them both. "You two aren't."

"We'll be peachy," Dean brushed off. "What are you doing here?"

"Just be glad I am."

Dean pursed his lips but decided to pick his battles. "Listen, you're in danger. There's a vamp after you."

"Why?" she asked, but her attention was on his bleeding arm.

"Because," _you were with us._ "You peaked his interest. It doesn't matter why, he isn't gonna get you. But you need to get the hell out of here until we can track him down and kill him, okay?"

He expected a tantrum about missing school and her friends, or what her parents would say, or where she would go, but she simply gave a shrug.

"Okay."

Dean did a double-take, "'Okay'?"

"Yeah, okay," she said, pushing off from the bonnet. "Get in, I'll give you a lift to your car."

Exchanging a bewildered look with Sam, Dean climbed in the front while Sam got in the back. Maddy turned the key and pulled away from the hotel, sending a lasting look at the bodies of the vampires in the mirror before turning her attention back to the road.

"How did you know where we were?" Sam asked.

"I had a friend track your phone. I saw you kept ringing me while I was on the way here but I couldn't risk losing the GPS connection by accepting the call. I'm not good with technology. Anyway, on the way here I saw your car. I mean, how many people drive 67' Chevy Impalas? I saw the machetes on the ground and took them. I followed your signal to the freaking Overlook back there and… here I am."

"Not that I don't appreciate you saving me from asphyxiation, but that was a pretty dumb move," Dean said.

"I'm good at them."

"Maddy," Sam said. "I know you said your parents were in New York and your brother away at college but Whittaker said he'd be able to smell out your bloodline. He's probably bluffing but we've learnt by now that it just isn't worth taking a chance. Do you have any more family around here?"

"No."

"Okay, well your parents should be safe in New York but how far is your brother's - "

"You don't need to worry about them," she said.

Sam frowned, "They could be in danger."

"They're not."

Sam leaned forward onto the space between the passenger and driver's seat, trying to gauge her expression. It was of casual indifference.

"Look, no matter how close or not you are with them, you'll never forgive yourself if they get hurt," Dean said.

"It's not that," Maddy's hands tightened infinitesimally around the steering wheel. "They're not my biological family. I'm adopted."

"Oh… Do you know where your biological family is?"

"Dead."

Sam looked up at her sadly at that while Dean glanced out of the window.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sam said.

"Yeah," Maddy murmured. She took a breath and cleared her throat. "It's one less problem to deal with, anyway."

"You don't have any siblings?"

"Nope," she said. "Your car's up here."

She turned into the open space they had parked up what seemed like only an hour ago but was actually a day. Dean's eyes lit up at the sight of the Impala and he dashed out to it. Sam and Maddy followed, Maddy handing Sam the keys.

"See how long it takes till he notices," Sam said.

Dean spent a few more seconds caressing the car before he tried the door. As it refused to give, he turned back to them with horror on his face. Sam's face split into a smile as he threw him the keys. Maddy laughed.

"He really likes that car, huh?"

"You have no idea. He calls it Baby."

"N'aww. That's cute," Maddy said, her demeanour more light-hearted than she had been in the car. She patted her car's hood. "This is Keith."

"He's… very green."

"I did it myself," Maddy said sheepishly. "That's why it's a bit patchy. An artist, I am not. I was thinking of adding some yellow this weekend."

"Very you."

"Thanks. I think."

Satisfied that Baby was unharmed, Dean made his way back over to them.

"Can I have your phone?" he said.

She handed it to him.

"I'm gonna give you a friend's number. He's called Bobby, another hunter. You can hit him up if we're not answering and you're in danger. Not that you will be," he added.

"Thanks."

"Where are you gonna go?" Sam asked.

"I know a place," she said.

"Cryptic."

"Jackie and Michael have a holiday house in every state. I have keys and permission."

"And they just let you wander?" Dean asked, disapproval clear in his voice.

"We have a different relationship to the norm, but it works," she replied a little defensively.

"We're sure it does," Sam intervened. "We'll drop you a line when it's safe for you to come back. It shouldn't be long."

"Mm-hmm. Like I said before, I have online stuff set up for school so it won't be a problem. Take as long as you need," she gave them a grimace and turned to her car.

She opened the driver's door and hesitated.

"I only have one key to the house," she said. "And even if I had more I wouldn't go giving them out to strangers. But, uh, there's a window behind the compost bin into my basement room. It's a little loose. Just, y'know, if you happen to be passing by and wanna… fix it."

Sam and Dean smiled.

"We might just do that," Dean said. "Take care of yourself."

"You too."

With a final smile, Maddy ducked into the seat and started up Keith, watching as the men who had saved her life, and who she'd saved in return, disappeared from view.

"Well," she said to Keith, as she found herself often doing. "Thank God we'll never see them again."

Keith gave a lurch, stalling for a moment. Maddy frowned and restarted the engine. It purred to life in it's usual fashion and carried on.

"What was that about buddy?" she asked, patting the dash.

Later, she would check the fuel pressure, rule out an EGR leak, and fiddle with the carburettor. All would be completely normal.

She considered the possibility that he was simply disagreeing with her, then filed that notion away as ridiculous.

Of course then, Maddy had no idea how ridiculous her life was about to become.

* * *

 **You can keep up to date with this fic and my Peaky Blinders story on my Twitter because it's just easier to communicate on there. You can find me at you_haventmetme or through the link in my profile.**

 **You can also find this story on AO3 and Wattpad under the same name so you can read on your preferred medium.**

 **Until the next time, lovelies.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A little change from canon here - Charlie met Sam and Dean in season 5 on a case where she was needed to hack into a security system so they could take down a werewolf. She broke her ankle and the relationships she made with the boys are just the same as the first time she meets them in canon.**

* * *

 ** _Message received 04:13 from Sam W._**

 **Hey Maddy. Dean and I have taken care of Whittaker so you can come back now. Stay out of trouble :)**

 ** _Message sent 04:14 to Sam W._**

 **Yo! Cool! Turning around now. Thanks guys!**

 ** _Message sent 04:15 to Jackie._**

 **I'm staying in South Dakota for a while. Locked the house up. Thanks.**

 ** _Message sent 04:16 to Michael._**

 **Hi, I'm crashing at the SD house. I'll keep up to date with school online again. Hope you're kicking some corporate butt.**

 ** _Message received 08:00 from Michael._**

 **Okay.**

The house at South Dakota was as cold Maddy remembered it. Jackie and Michael weren't fond of the area, preferring to vacation in warmer states in the brief lapses between their work life. Maddy supposed it was just for the sake of appearances that they kept it.

Keith the car managed to make it up the stony gravel road to the house just as he ran out of fuel, spluttering on the driveway with a groan of relief.

"Sorry, old guy," Maddy said, patting the dash. "I'll get you fed up."

She climbed out, pulling out a bunch of keys from the first zip compartment of her backpack and finding the one with the SD engraving.

The wooden steps up onto the porch moaned under her weight as she made her way to the door. The key turned and the door opened with a soft creak, breaking the silence of the sleeping house. Maddy stared into it, watching the dust hovering in the air of the empty rooms, dimly lit by the early-morning light peaking through the gaps in the curtains she had closed the last time she had been there, nine months ago.

Maddy didn't mind the emptiness. She was used to opening the front door and not expecting anyone to be home.

She smiled as she sighed, and got to work.

* * *

Two hours later, the house was unrecognisable. The curtains were open, crisp sunshine illuminating the freshly dusted furniture. Several scented candles had been lit, cinnamon mixing with the smell of baking bread and air freshener. Beneath an over arching bookshelf, a fire was crackling away in the hearth, making the cover of a Daphne Du Maurier book on the coffee table in front of it glow.

But above all of that, the main difference was the silence. It was gone. In its place was _Accidentally in Love_ blasting from the _Shrek 2_ album on Maddy's iPod.

The girl in question was in the kitchen, flour smudged on her cheek as she sang along.

 _"Melting under blue skies, belting out sunlight shimmering love!"_ she yelled with abandon.

She pushed the oven door shut with her hip, wincing at the heat coming from the baking tray in her hands.

 _"Well baby I surrender to the strawberry ice cream, never ever end of all this love! Well I didn't mean to do it, but there's no escaping your love!"_

She broke off a piece of bread and grimaced. It smelled good, but taste good it did not. She shrugged and tossed it into the bag for the bird feeder, as she had done with the last four loafs.

The song finished and Maddy decided to stop her baking for the day, before she ran out of ingredients and had to walk into town - she had yet to fill up Keith.

Before _Holding Out For A Hero_ could come on, Maddy switched off the iPod and moved to the chair in front of the fire, settling her laptop on her knee and Googling a number she had long forgotten.

When she rang, he answered almost immediately.

 _"Hello, Hanson's Gym; David speaking, how can I - ?"_

"David! Hey, it's Maddy! You probably don't remember me but - "

 _"Wait, Maddy Bradshaw?"_

"Close, Bradford," Maddy grinned. "How in the hell do you remember me? I was like fifteen when I came to you."

 _"You did break my nose and what was it? Three fingers?"_ he laughed. _"How old are you now?"_

"Eighteen."

 _"Jeez. You keeping your nose clean?"_

"As a whistle," she lied sweetly. She had tried, at least.

 _"What can I do you for?"_

"I'm back in South Dakota for a while. I was just wondering if I could take up some lessons again."

 _"Fantastic! When are you free?"_

"Any time. Just - um - I," the image of the vamp in the pub kitchen stalking towards her flashed in her mind and she stood up, beginning to pace. "I want as many as possible."

 _"Funny, I just had someone else say the same thing to me. You mind doing shared? She's a she, if that helps?"_

"Yeah, that's fine. Can I start tomorrow?"

 _"Ten o'clock?"_

"Perfect. Thanks, Dave."

 _"No problem, Mad-Maddy."_

"I'll see you tomorrow," Maddy laughed, and decided on working on Keith to keep her mind from wandering back to the pub.

* * *

Dressed in leggings and a loose shirt - with, of course, an ill-fitting knitted green hat - Maddy walked past the few people on treadmills and through the back office. The place hadn't changed - the same peeling blue paint saturated with the smell of sweat, same rusty light fittings and blacked out windows. It wasn't a place you'd want to find yourself if you didn't know the area.

Dave stood up as she walked in, enveloping her in a hug. He held her back and grinned.

"You look different!" he pinched his face mockingly. "Soft."

"What?" she laughed.

"Your eyes, they've lost the 'I'm gonna kill you' look."

Maddy shrugged, "Things changed."

"Good," he said, clearly meaning it. "Now, you okay to jump straight in?"

"Definitely. Is the other girl here?"

"Uh-huh," he pushed open the door to the private room. "She's in here."

Maddy looked around the room, memories of her teenage self being there coming back to her. She remembered being slammed onto the padded floor, pounding hell out of the same punchbag, Dave locking her arms behind her back when she tried to -

"Hi!" a bright voice mercifully cut into her thoughts.

Maddy smiled at a red headed girl, in her mid to late twenties perhaps, with a blinding smile and bright gym clothes. Her shirt had a transfer of the characters from the Lumberjanes comic series.

"Hi! Nice shirt."

The woman beamed, "You like Lumberjanes?!"

Maddy nodded.

"Okay," the woman said seriously as she stepped towards her and held out her hand. "I'm Charlie Bradbury and I'm your new best friend."

"Maddy Bradford," she said, taking Charlie's hand and shaking it.

"Even our last names are similar! We're meant to be. You wouldn't happen to be a lesbian, would you?"

"Pansexual," Maddy smiled.

"Damn it, you're too young for me," Charlie cursed, but was smiling.

"I do have a friend a bit older who's looking, though," Maddy remembered. "She likes Nimona and K-Pop."

Charlie's smile widened, "I'm in."

"Okay ladies," Dave cut in gruffly. "You here to Tinder or to train?"

"Uh, both?" Charlie said hopefully.

He laughed wryly, "Nice try, kid. Now you, I wanna see where you're at, and Maddy, I wanna see how much you remember. Go."

* * *

Three hours later, Dave had left, admittedly impressed by both women, and had given them the room to cool down at their own pace. Maddy laid out over the padded mat, a sweat-drenched towel over her forehead, while Charlie star-fished in the middle of the room.

"He doesn't go easy, does he?" Charlie muttered, still out of breath.

"No. You're really good, though. When did you start?"

Charlie shrugged, "I was youngish. And never mind me, you're pretty good yourself. When did _you_ start?"

"I came to Dave when I was fifteen," Maddy said, carefully choosing her words. "Or at least, I was made. It was more of a discipline thing. I was, uh, a pretty out of control teen."

Charlie looked over at her, as if seeing her in a new light.

"Yeah, me too."

Maddy canted her head, "You don't seem it."

"Neither do you."

"Touche," Maddy laughed lightly.

Charlie didn't say anything else but Maddy could see her thinking, no doubt reminiscing. If she was anything like Maddy, that never ended well.

"I stink," she said, for the sake of getting Charlie out of her head more than anything.

"Me too," Charlie replied, pulling at her drenched shirt. "I'm so sweaty, my transfer's gonna peel."

"That would be blasphemy."

Maddy pulled herself up with a groan and held out a hand to pull Charlie up too.

"So what got you into Lumberjanes?" Charlie asked, moaning at her aching muscles.

"I love reading but sometimes I'm too distracted or tired to concentrate enough on words. I'm dyslexic, so comics have always kinda been my safe zone. And come on, a group of monster-hunting girls, what's not to love?"

Charlie nodded, "It makes a good story."

The way she said it made Maddy wonder if there was more to it than that, but she didn't say anything.

"So where are you staying?"

"Motel just out of town. It's okay. Duncan's, I think."

"Duncan's?" Maddy wrinkled her nose. "Yikes."

"How about you?"

"My folks have a place out here. You should come over. They have tons of box sets so we could marathon? Maybe get a pizza, try make some ice cream?" Maddy suggested.

Charlie grinned.

"You had me at box sets."

* * *

Once Charlie got gotten over the size of the house - and Maddy had explained that it's her parents', not hers - she had selected How I Met Your Mother from the box sets and told Maddy that this would give them plenty material to get through. Charlie had also convinced her to crack into the wine cellar, which, admittedly, didn't take a whole lot of convincing.

"No but there's the… oh damn it…" Maddy frowned, trying to wade through the alcohol induced haze in her mind to find the character's name. "The freaking… Willow from - "

"Buffy!" Charlie exclaimed. "We need to watch that next, for definite!"

Maddy's mouth fell open, as if it was the most groundbreaking idea she'd ever heard.

"That would be amazing," she whispered.

Charlie puffed her chest out proudly and reached for the wine. She tipped it up, then further, until it was completely upside down. Not a drop fell.

"Did we drink all of this already?" Charlie said.

They shrugged, and she rolled the bottle to sit with the other three empty ones by the door. Maddy sank back into her chair.

Charlie sighed, "Well, I think I should be off. You know any taxis round here?"

"Mmm," Maddy rocked to the side and retrieved her phone from her back pocket, throwing it at the girl. "Under W. Willis Taxis, I think. Should have SD after it."

"Thanks," she said as she caught it, and began scrolling. "You don't have a passcode for this thing?"

"Do I need one?"

"Seriously?"

"I'm not especially tech-savvy."

Charlie shook her head, "Well good job I - "

She abruptly stopped scrolling, the end of her sentence forgotten.

"What's wrong?" Maddy asked, leaning out of her chair.

"You… You know the Winchesters?"

Suspicion now laced her voice as she rose from the armchair. Maddy stood up too, matching her distrust.

"How do _you_ know them?" Maddy asked.

"They're my friends."

"Right," Maddy said, almost instantly sobered. "…Well, you have the cab number. It might be best if you - "

"Whoa," Charlie interrupted. " _You_ need to spill."

Maddy felt a rise of indignation at Charlie's authoritative tone. It sounded almost defensive.

"I just bumped into them. There was trouble and they gave me their number in case I ran into it again. Case closed."

"What kind of trouble?"

" _Trouble_ , trouble."

She didn't want to say more, not knowing how much Charlie knew. The last thing she wanted was to have her laugh in her face for uttering the word 'vampires' out loud.

"Why are you being so hostile?" Charlie asked softly.

Maddy shook her head, "I'm sorry. I, uh, kind of want to put it behind me. It wasn't a great experience."

"Yeah, I know. It never is with them. I ended up with a broken ankle."

"Ouch."

Charlie nodded, "So… what was it?"

Maddy eyed her. There was a knowing expression on the older girl's face and Maddy understood.

"Vampires," she said tonelessly, and took her phone from Charlie, dialling for the cab.

Maddy finished up and turned back to her with a polite smile.

"She'll be five minutes."

"Okay. Listen, I know you don't want to think about it, I don't blame you! But could I maybe have your email address?"

Maddy wanted to ask why but was realising now how rude she had been earlier. It wasn't in her nature and it the beginnings of guilt were already starting to weigh on her.

"Of course."

By the time they had exchanged details, the taxi had arrived. Maddy, in a last ditch attempt to seem like less of a dick, walked Charlie to the door and kept an apologetic smile on her face.

"So, I'd say 'see you soon' but I don't think that's on the agenda somehow," Charlie said as she paused on the porch.

 _You're such a bitch, Bradford,_ Maddy thought.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's fine."

As she walked to the taxi with her brightly-coloured backpack and Lumberjanes shirt, giving her a wave despite her hostility, Maddy had a feeling she had just let the opportunity of a great friendship slip away.

* * *

Maddy didn't take any pills for her hangover the next morning until lunchtime. She considered it penance for her behaviour, up until the point she had school work to do and had to shift the pounding in her head or she wouldn't be able to read any of it. No matter what was going on in her life, her grades were important if she was going to get into medical school.

It was early evening when she finished the work she had been sent by her teachers and submitted it. She had had to spend double the amount of time on the last essay as her dyslexia began to get the better of her and ended up sending it to Finn to proofread before finishing up. He asked if they could Skype and she accepted. Really, she was too tired but he had read over her work and she supposed she did miss him.

 _"I don't believe you haven't had a friend over,"_ Finn teased. _"I know that hungover look."_

"I'm just wiped out from the essays. Gimme numbers, for the love of God!"

 _"Was it Sarah? Or, wait, Maria? She's South Dakota, isn't she?"_

"No, no one. I don't appreciate you insinuating I have a reputation for throwing Keggers at every opportunity I have."

 _"Too right. I would have expected an invite."_

Maddy smiled at him. He was in his pyjamas - Spiderman ones with a stubborn Ribena stain on the neckline. Maddy remembered doing that. They had been laid on his bed and he had leaned over her to turn off his bedside lamp, when the mattress had dipped and sent her drink flying over the both of them. They had creased up silently, holding onto their sides as they stripped the bed and subtly washed the sheets in the middle of the night without waking up his parents.

She really did miss him then. She wanted to feel his arms around her and the warmth of his skin through his Marvel pyjamas.

"Miss you."

 _"I miss you, too…"_ he ran a hand through his blond hair, spiked up by his pillow. " _Mads, are you okay?"_

She sighed. She knew this was coming.

"I'm okay, I promise."

 _"Really?"_

"It isn't what you think."

 _"I just worry about you."_

His big brown eyes were swimming with so much concern that Maddy found it had to look at them. She heard him sigh in disappointment. She wasn't being fair to him. Like she hadn't been fair to Charlie.

 _"What you thinking about?"_

She shrugged, "Just been fucking a few things up recently."

 _"Maddy - "_ he said warily.

"I am okay," she said, forcing herself to look him in the eye. "I swear, Finn."

 _"I can be there, you know. You give me the nod and I can be there in a few hours."_

"I know, and I love you for that."

He gave her a crooked smile.

"But I'm fine. Give me a couple more days here and I'll be back."

 _"Yeah right. After a quick diversion to Texas and then back via Georgia. I know you,"_ he said, grinning. " _But I'm serious. Call me and I can help. Or at least call someone."_

"Yeah, I get it."

 _"You're using your 'I'm starting to lose interest in this conversa -"_

A bleep from the mail icon on her task bar drew Maddy's attention away from Finn. It was an email. Thinking it could be from Jackie or Michael, she opened it. But it wasn't.

 **To: Maddy Bradford**

 **From: Charlie Bradbury**

 **RE: A tentative hi…**

 ** _1 attachment._**

 **I know you said you wanted to put all of the madness out of your mind and I thought the same thing. Didn't really work out. Knowledge can sometimes beat fear much more effectively than ignorance. If you find that too, you might want to open the attachment. If you're fine, don't.**

 **If you don't reply, I won't contact you again.**

 **Stay cool, bitch.**

 **Charlie.**

 **PS: That's 'bitch' said in a completely affectionate manner. Kinda hard to convey over message.**

 **PPS: I wish we could have been friends :)**

Maddy read the message through three more times before she registered Finn's annoyed voice rising in volume through her speakers.

"Sorry," she said distractedly.

 _"What's so important?"_

"Just a message."

 _"From who?"_

"Someone I met today."

 _"A guy?"_ he snapped.

Maddy raised her eyebrow at her camera.

 _"Sorry,"_ he said sincerely. _"That was dickish."_

"You're fine, it's late."

 _"Mmm,"_ he said, covering a perfectly timed yawn with his hand.

"Go to sleep, Finn. I'll call you in the morning. 'Kay?"

 _"Good idea. Night, Madders. Sweet dreams."_

"You too."

She closed the Skype window and focused completely on the email. Whatever she was doing, wasn't working. She had kept busy and drunk and hungover but it still lingered. Not exactly the fear of it - though she remembered it too clearly - but the rest of it. The monsters she hadn't met. The ones that now existed, hurting people like she had been hurt, and worse. Sam and Dean, with their tired eyes and relentless fight. The way they had saved her and then she had saved them. It felt dangerously like a sort of camaraderie.

"Fuck it," Maddy muttered, and opened the attachment.

Her screen filled with monsters.

She stared for a moment before clicking on one. A document opened, revealing a complete profile, from origins to strengths, to characteristics, and then, to weaknesses.

Maddy rubbed the haze from her eyes and took a swig of her cold coffee.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

 **Reviews would be awesome. As I'm sure there'll be some questions regarding Finn, he and Maddy aren't in a relationship and their dynamic will be explored later. As I said before, it won't be romance-heavy.**


	5. Chapter 5

**All the updates today!**

* * *

"I can't keep doing this," Maddy said, closing her eyes and willing herself not to throw the phone across the room. "I tried my best."

 _"The sheets have been in that dryer for three weeks, Madeline."_

 _Maddy,_ she corrected in her head.

 _"Why didn't you think to take them out before you went off gallivanting? And what about your school work? And why did you even need sheets in the first place?"_

"I had two guys from the street sleep over and I didn't want them to get cold. And they were tall, I'm talking _massive,_ so they had two each," Maddy said. "Plus they were exhausted from the vampire attack."

 _"Hilarious,"_ Jacqueline said. _"Did you hear what I said about school?"_

"I've already caught up with and am two weeks ahead in my course content. You know I won't let that slip. I just need time… I…" she licked her lips, trying to keep her emotions in check. "My… y'know."

 _"Do you need any more medication?"_ her adopted mother's voice was a fraction softer.

"No, I picked some up last week."

She hated picking up meds. She was sure she imagined it, but she always felt that the pharmacist took one look at her tablets and thought they knew her entire life story. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and _all at such a young age._ They didn't know anything.

 _"I'll transfer some money now."_

"You don't have to do that."

 _"Well then I won't have to bother you for another month at least. Please make this lot last."_

There she was.

"I've never used all of my allowance, ever. And I don't need it. I've picked up my old job while I'm here in Denver."

 _"In that bar?"_

"I'm good at - "

 _"Cash in hand?"_

"Either my hand or my bra strap," Maddy sighed.

 _"Goodbye, Madeline. Do try not to get murdered or robbed."_

"I'll do my damnedest. Bye, Jackie."

Maddy put the phone back in the cradle hanging on the wall.

"Did I hear something about your bra strap?" a voice asked from the stairs up to the flat above.

Daniel.

"Fuck off," Maddy said, and was reminded why she left so early last time.

He pushed off from the second step and caught up to her as she went out to the bar. The owner was a lovely woman. Her son, not so much. He wasn't good for much other than being the object of an interesting sociological study about toxic masculinity.

"C'mon Maddy. What's your excuse this time? You're eighteen now," he said, leaning on the bar next to her.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye with her most unimpressed expression. Opening time couldn't come soon enough. She hated getting the early shift because there was no one to act as a buffer between her and Daniel.

"You too good for a guy like me?"

"Yes. A hundred times," she grabbed a towel and refolded it for something to do with her hands and give her an excuse to get a few paces away from him.

"Oh come on, don't you get sick of the goody act?"

"Goody act?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," he shrugged, leather jacket squeaking slightly. The guy really was a walking cliche. "Y'know, with the knitwear and the crappy plastic necklaces and songs from the 60s and reading books and - "

"I like being literate, Danny, love. Maybe if you picked up a book you'd see that you are a stereotype on legs and this whole act, see, it doesn't work. If that's what being a good girl is, then I like it. And I'm not going to sleep with you, so please go back up to your room like the little boy you are."

"I can get my mom to fire you."

Maddy had to swallow the colourful retort she wanted to give.

"You're a real bastard, Daniel," she said seriously. "And one day, you're gonna get in trouble. Dickheads like you don't just give men a bad name, you give the human race a bad name."

Before Daniel could respond, the door opened and their first regular, William walked in.

"Heya, honey," he said to her. He nodded to Daniel but didn't acknowledge him any further than that. The locals had him worked out. "Go get me a sandwich, Daniel."

"Maddy can get it. That's what I pay her for," Daniel said, his scowl fixed on her.

"That's what your mom pays her for. And I want you to get it, son," William said.

"It's fine, Will," Maddy said. "Beef and horse radish?"

He nodded, sending a glare to Daniel. Just as Maddy turned to go out to the kitchen, Daniel pushed past her and stormed up the stairs.

"That boy needs a good right hander," William murmured.

"Be my guest," Maddy said with a tired smile and went to the refuge of the kitchen.

She turned on her music and got to work to the sound of _Footloose_.

* * *

It was a busy, busy night. A bachelorette party came in who were a complete delight but hard work to keep up with. They did leave Maddy an especially big tip and a pink sparkly cowgirl hat that she promised to put to good use. The best part of the day however, was that Daniel stayed in his room the entire time. Maddy figured if he kept this act up, she might stick around a little longer than she expected. She liked the atmosphere of the place and she was ready to reconnect with a few of her old friends.

Now, however, she was tired. She left Deborah (the owner) to close up and went to her little rented apartment next to the bar. She peeled off her slightly damp clothes that reeked of booze and completed her nightly routine. Shower, pyjamas, teeth cleaned, get into bed, load up laptop, and email Charlie.

 **To: Charlie Bradbury**

 **From: Maddy Bradford**

 **RE: Bachelorette Left Me A Cowgirl Hat**

 **What a night, omg. The subject says it all. But I did get a fifty dollar tip and the hat is pretty cool. I'm knackered now so I'll keep it brief.**

 **I had nightmares about the werewolf thing, so thanks for being so descriptive. Keeping a knife and gun under my pillow. You think I'm joking.**

 **I hope you kick the flu's butt soon. Let me know if you need anything because I really have no obligations so I can get to you whenever you want me to. Or come visit! It's a pretty nice town just outside Denver. Quiet but nice.**

 **Anyway, I'm going to bed.**

 **Night, bitch.**

Maddy closed her laptop and put it on her bedside table. The lack of light from the screen made her twice as tired as she was and as soon as she put her head on the pillow, she was out.

* * *

He was close to her. She could feel his breath all over her skin but couldn't seem to touch him. She knew it was a him. She held out her arms into the dark, her fingers clawing through the smoke-like darkness but there was nothing. Just breath. Breath. Like dry ice.

"Stop," she said but her mouth didn't move.

The black seemed to blur at the edges - could black blur? - And suddenly the floor seemed to fall out beneath her. Her skin tightened as her arms shot out again and this time, managed to grab something hard. She held on and her body jerked to a stop.

She was crying.

Her legs dangled in the nothingness. Her fingers bit into whatever object she was holding onto.

"Please!" she yelled.

Her voice echoed back to her, tripled in volume until it was a scream.

"Maddy!"

Light suddenly filled the space and Maddy sat up in her bed. Panting, she looked up at Deborah wide-eyed. _Dancing in the Moonlight_ was playing. Her alarm clock.

"You were supposed to open up," Deborah said but seemed more concerned about her. "You alright, doll?"

Too shaken to form words, Maddy just stared. She could still feel that stomach-flipping sensation of falling. The bottoms of her feet pricked.

"Sorry," she said. "N-nightmare."

She rolled over and turned off her alarm. She rubbed a hand over her stinging eyes. Then she really realised that her boss was sat on her bed staring at her unstable ass.

"Shit - I mean, sorry, Deb. I'll get ready now," she said, dragging on some jeans before she realised she was still wearing her sleep shorts.

Deborah held out her hand to stop her.

"Maybe do a half shift, huh? I can manage. Come in after lunch. Try get some more sleep, you look wrecked."

"No, honestly - !"

"Please, Maddy. As a mom, I don't feel right dragging you out of bed when your body clearly needs some sleep," she said. "See you later."

Maddy watched in defeat as her boss left and flopped back down on her bed as the door closed, jeans still half-pulled over her shorts.

She woke up an hour later with no recollection of the dream.

* * *

 _"She took the midnight train going aaaaanywhere,"_ Maddy sang under her breath as she washed up. Bubbles crawled up her arms and half chewed food floated about her hands but she didn't care. This was one of her happy places.

She danced along to _Journey_ as she dodged around the small kitchen putting back the clean pots and pans. Maddy knew her pills helped keep her above water, but music helped her tenfold. She felt the weight lift off her for just a while. She knew it would be back but for now, she was happy.

 _"DON'T STOP… BELIEVING!"_ she yelled at the top of her lungs, sending suds flying across the floor she had yet to clean.

She'd wait for Shakira to come on before she got to that.

* * *

Maddy was halfway through _Hips Don't Lie_ when the music shut off. She leaned the mop up against the counter and turned to see Daniel holding her iPod off its docking station.

She folded her arms.

"What?"

"Have you seen my mom?"

Maddy blinked. That wasn't what she was expecting.

"Uh, I saw her in the bar like an hour ago."

"I've just come in and she isn't here. She hasn't locked up either."

"Is she upstairs?"

"No," Daniel said, and Maddy realised he was paler than usual. "Th-there's blood on one of the glasses."

Dread snuck into Maddy's stomach. She passed Daniel through the door, grabbing her iPod as she did so and stuffing it into her pocket. He followed her through the building to the front bar.

It was empty but the lights were still on full brightness and sure enough, the door was open. A cold chill had settled in the room, cooling Maddy's cheeks, which were bright red from the dancing.

"Where's the blood?"

Daniel pointed to a glass on the very edge of the bar. Maddy walked over and inspected it. Blood was smeared down the curve of the pint glass. Another broken one crunched under Maddy's feet.

"Maybe someone cut themselves and Mom took them to the hospital."

"Yeah, maybe," Maddy said, unconvinced. "Listen, call the police."

"Why?" Daniel said, every bit the child she had accused him of being earlier. She kind of wished he would go back to harassing her. "You think…?"

"Just call them, okay? I'll go look around see if I can see any sign of anything outside."

Daniel hurried off to the phone as Maddy walked out into the cold. It was darker than she was expecting. She wrapped her arms around herself and took off up the street, taking her time to look into the many little alleyways leading off from the main road.

Her instincts were screaming something at her she didn't quite understand. Maybe it was paranoia. She had taken to fleetingly seeing supernatural beings on every street corner since Charlie had given her that monster database.

That's all it was.

"Deborah?" Maddy called.

The sound of footsteps replied.

"Deborah?"

Maddy quickened her pace up the path. The footsteps were getting louder. She took the corner at a light run and ran directly into some seemingly do the exact same thing as her. She stumbled backwards but immediately regained her footing and was on the defensive. Eyes wide, feet apart.

The man went to apologise, then stopped. He stared at her, his deep blue eyes meeting her brown ones. He blinked at her, his mouth trying several times to form words but failing. He looked to be in his thirties with tufty brown hair and a strange coat.

The instincts that were screaming earlier were now unbearable. She had to get away from this person.

"Have you seen a woman named Deborah?" she demanded before she realised what she was doing.

Sketchy guy she'd never seen before skulking around the streets, added to Deborah going missing, equalled suspect in her book.

 _And you could be next on the list!_

"N-no," he replied in a gravelly voice.

She stared at him.

"Maddy!" Daniel's voice called from the door of the bar. "They're on their way!"

She dared a glance at him then quickly turned her attention back to the man in front of her, who was still looking at her like she was his long lost daughter in a Lifetime movie.

"Stay away from me," she said, almost in confusion.

She didn't know where it came from. It wasn't in her nature to be anything but friendly to people who hadn't done anything bad to her. But somehow, she couldn't bring herself to be apologetic.

With that, she turned and jogged back to the bar. The fact she felt safer with Daniel than she did with that guy spoke volumes.

* * *

He watched her run, still speechless. Then his brow furrowed in determination, and he disappeared.

* * *

Often, Dean wondered if he'd ever get used to Cas sneaking up on him. He was like a cat. He'd have to get him a bell.

Dean just looked up at the angel as he appeared in front of him. He didn't try to hide his jump or annoyance. It didn't do any good and he was too goddamn tired. They'd been spending the previous two days solid tracking down and getting rid of a ghoul haunting a boarding school in Wyoming.

"Dean," Cas said, his eyes wilder than usual.

Sam jerked awake at his voice and stretched on the couch.

"Cas, what you doing here?"

"You two have to get to Denver. It's in Colorado."

"Yeah, I know where Denver is," Dean said. "Why?"

"There's…" Cas fumbled for his words. Failing, he dropped down into the chair opposite Dean. "I…"

"Cas?" Dean asked, concerned now. "Come on, man, what is it?"

Cas pursed his lips slightly, then looked up.

"There's some sort of supernatural activity in a little town outside Denver. More of a village really, very idyllic - "

"Cas. What kind of activity? What is it?"

"I don't know."

"Then how do you know about it? Why were you in Colorado?" Sam asked, coming to join them at the table.

"I… had a feeling. Some - thing, something drew me there. I can feel it in the air around there, something's off. The people in that town are in danger."

"That it?" Dean asked.

"Isn't that enough?" Sam said.

"Of course. Why did I ever think we could get some sleep?" Dean said, slapping his hand down on the table. "If we set off now, we should get there about - "

"You can't drive, I'll take you," Cas said.

Dean raised an eyebrow, "It can't be that urgent."

"It is. I'm taking you."

The passion in Cas's eyes made Dean drop it, no matter how much he didn't want to.

"This better be legit, man, I swear."

* * *

Maddy carried yet another tray of dirty cups into the kitchen. She'd been supplying the cops tea all night, just as an excuse to keep washing up. PTSD triggers were abound and keeping her mind occupied was essential if she was going to continue functioning. The best thing for her would be to go back to her apartment and sleep but, as much of a tool as he was, she didn't want to leave Daniel in the chaos.

He was sat on one of the barstools when she returned, swirling a glass of whiskey. She'd told him to stop drinking and he'd slapped her arm when she'd tried to take it from him. She'd had to try very hard not to slap him back, settling for a cold 'good job I don't bruise easy' and left him. Under other circumstances, he'd be nursing a broken nose.

Now, he was just empty of all emotion.

Maddy hopped up onto a stool two away from him and watched the police as they continued to interview some of the regulars who'd last seen Deborah.

"They'll find her. The cops here are better than most other places I've stayed."

He didn't reply.

Maddy grimaced. She kept her eyes down at her lap, feeling her anxiety rise at the sight of an officer bending down to slip a shard of glass into an evidence bag.

Already on edge, the shouting had her bounding off the stool.

"Miss! Miss, you can't - !" a cop was yelling as the bar door swung open.

Deborah stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips.

"The fuck you guys doing in my bar? Someone died or something?"

"Mom?" Daniel whispered, slipping off his stool. "Mom…"

"Last time I checked, why?" Deborah snapped.

Daniel launched himself into her arms, the first time Maddy had ever seen them hug. Deborah looked down at him and surprise then after a moment, cupped the back of his head with her hand and let the other one rest against her side.

"Maddy, what are you doing here?" she asked, looking her up and down. "It's four in the morning."

"I'm going now," she said, relief like helium in her chest. "I'm glad you're okay."

Maddy stepped past the cops just as they swarmed Deborah and began asking questions.

Just a misunderstanding.

Deborah caught Maddy's eye as she skirted past them.

Maddy smiled. A happy ending. Thank God.

* * *

"Cas we've been wandering for hours," Dean moaned, trailing behind the angel as he peered in a closed shop window.

"It's Sunday, nowhere will be open," Sam said, sounding just as pissed off as Dean.

Castiel ignored them, pushing off from the window and plastering himself up against another one.

"It's close," he muttered.

"Yeah, this feeling thing?" Dean said. "Can it wait for food?"

"Must have been around here…" the angel spoke under his breath.

"Cas, it's," Dean checked his watch. "Yeah, it's exactly eight hours since we last ate. I know you're all self-sufficient or whatever but we either stop now or you'll have to add my starved corpse to the list of supernatural shit wreaking havoc in this crappy town, capiche?"

"I'd kill for a quiche," Sam said quietly.

"Cas!"

Castiel finally turned to them a few paces up the street.

"Okay! Okay, Dean. Go eat your quiche. I'll be out here," he focused on another window, of a bookstore this time. "I'm getting close."

"Nuh-uh, Cas, come on," Dean walked up to him and grabbed him by the shoulder, steering him away from the storefronts. "We're sticking together. We'll be half an hour tops. Anyway, bars are the best places to get information."

Castiel stopped so suddenly that Dean almost walked into him.

"The bar," he said blankly.

Dean frowned, "Yes…?"

"That's a good idea," Cas nodded, then after a beat said. "This way."

"How do you know where the - " Dean broke off, exchanging an exasperated glance with Sam as Castiel took off in the opposite direction.

"Think of the food, Dean," Sam said.

Dean rolled his eyes but the aching in his belly was enough to send him hurrying after their wayward angel.

* * *

The bar was packed full of people getting the gossip from last night. Maddy had given up trying to explain the situation and ended up giving them very strained advice to ask Deborah themselves. They'd have a trouble, as she had been out shopping at the nearby department store all day, leaving Maddy in charge at peak hour. She usually wasn't so inconsiderate but Maddy kept her mouth shut. She was still hazy about the details of her brief disappearance and didn't want to make the situation - if there even was a situation - worse.

She just wished the woman had been considerate enough to take Daniel with her.

Ever since his mother had returned, he hadn't let go of how kind Maddy had been when he thought she was missing. Of course, he interpreted that as her 'showing her feelings for him' like a true self-absorbed asshole. He'd sat on the bar all day demanding drinks and watching her, occasionally making empty offers of helping her.

It had been easy to ignore him at first as she served the drinks but as it got busier, she found herself juggling the food, drinks, and washing up, and he was just _sat_ there watching.

Then he got bored at the worst possible time. Just as she was bringing out an order of curries for five people - while taking the orders of about twenty other people at the same time - Daniel decided to hop down from the bar and stick his foot out, sweeping Maddy's left leg from underneath her.

Maddy just managed to gain her footing in time to catch four of the curries but the fifth tipped towards her and splattered down her shirt and trousers, the bowl landing with a metallic clatter on the floor. The naan bread skidded beneath table four.

Silenced, the whole room turned to look at her, then burst into laughter. It was good-natured, she knew, so forced a smile on her face as if to say 'I'm such a klutz!' and placed the four curries onto table ten.

"I'll go replace the other one, I'm very sorry," she said politely and through gritted teeth.

She turned stiffly on her heel and bent to pick up as much of the mess as possible before heading back to the kitchen. Daniel didn't move from his vigil by the door. Biting her tongue, Maddy made herself as small as possible and edged past him.

As soon as she was in the kitchen, she let out a string of curses. She wasn't a stranger to harassment, having been alone for the majority of her life and, unfortunately for her in world of perverts, female. She just had to keep herself in control, especially in front of so many people. The person who would have retaliated was in her past.

Thankfully, there was still leftover curry and she ladled a portion into a new bowl and brought it out.

The man thanked her for not dropping this one, which let off another round of chortles. She forced herself to join in.

"One day my body will catch up to my feet," she smiled.

She felt the curry drying on her shirt and soaking through to her skin as she continued to pour drinks and open beers until she finally found a gap to duck out and run upstairs. She had a spare serving shirt in the private bathroom.

She'd barely closed the door before she was ripping off the shirt and washing her chest and torso with water from the sink. She dried off her now clean and blessedly un-sticky skin and turned to the task of finding a new shirt as quick as possible before people downstairs got too reckless.

"Come on, come on," she muttered, rifling through the drawer beside the sink.

She pulled out tea towels and cloths.

No shirt.

Maddy frowned. She'd washed and ironed and put it in that drawer just that morning.

A knock rattled the door.

Without a second thought, Maddy threw herself against it, keeping it shut.

"S'up, Maddy?" Daniel asked, humour evident in his voice.

Maddy closed her eyes. Of course.

She crossed her arms over her bra, knowing of course he couldn't see but it made her feel a little less exposed.

"Daniel, go back downstairs."

"Can't I help you?"

"No," she snapped, cursing the shake in her voice. "Go. Downstairs."

"C'mon, babe, please - "

"Learn how to accept 'no', damn it!" she exclaimed, throwing her head back against the door. "I don't want anything to do with you and this is harassment. You could go to prison for this."

"You wouldn't do that. You work for me."

"You think I won't quit after this?" she spluttered. "Man, you really are egotistical. And don't think I won't tell your mom."

"Like she'd care," he snorted.

"Yeah, actually, I think she'd care a fair bit."

A chorus of voices rang from downstairs. It sounded suspiciously like 'beer!'.

"Fine," Maddy said. "Your mom might not care about me. But she'll care if you let that bar go unattended and they all piss off to Bluebell."

There was a beat of silence. Then a sigh. Then, Maddy heard with a surge of relief, receding footsteps. She waited until she heard them creak the full flight of the stairs before dashing out the bathroom and into Deborah's room.

Convincing herself she wouldn't mind, Maddy grabbed a shirt from Deborah's dressing table and pulled it on. It was enormous, which was no surprise - the woman was 6'2" and considerably more well-built than Maddy. It almost came down to her knees and billowed around her. She tried tucking it into her trousers but it only made it more puffy and creased.

She pulled it out and made do. She cast a last look in the mirror, saw the sheen in her eyes, pulled herself together, and walked down.

It was going to be her last night in this place. Last straw.

* * *

Sam leaned back in the booth and tried not to focus on his hunger. Dean was fairing less well. He had his head on the table and kept letting out quiet whines every few seconds.

They had made a pact to leave if no one came down to serve at the bar in five minutes, ten minutes ago. They were too hungry to chance losing the table and having nowhere else to go. The place was filling up fast.

Castiel sat on the end of the booth, scanning up and down the crowd with such intensity that they'd had to tell him to cool it or he was going to end up with a busted eye.

Now he'd settled for subtle staring, giving the illusion of being more relaxed. But Sam could feel the tension radiating off him. Then, suddenly, he bolted upright. His movement startled Dean, who straightened up.

"What, there's someone serving?" he asked hopefully.

The words had barely left his mouth when a waitress seemed to stumble over to them. She was wearing a deep purple blouse which was at least four sizes too big for her, three band-aided fingers, and a cheap-looking necklace of a stack of books. Copper hair covered her tired eyes for a moment before she pulled it back out of her face and Sam audibly gasped.

"Maddy?" he and Dean said at the same time.

Maddy blinked at them, unregistering for a moment, then her face split into a hesitant smile.

"Sam, Dean! Hey, wh-what you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here? Don't you live in Nebraska?"

"Oh, I - " she stopped, taking a step back as Castiel stood up, looking down at her. "You."

"Cas," Dean said in a reprimanding tone, tugging at his coat sleeve for him to sit down. "She's fine."

"You know each other?" Castiel and Maddy said at the same time.

"Wait, _you two_ know each other?" Sam asked incredulously.

Cas and Maddy glanced at each other, then away again. Or at least, Maddy looked away. Castiel kept staring at her, but sat down as Dean told him.

"We kind of ran into each other last night," Maddy said.

Something about the way she said it made Sam think there was something else to it. Then again, from their brief encounter with Maddy previously, she didn't exactly seem herself. Perhaps she was just stressed.

"Hey! There are hungry people over here!" a boy shouted from the bar.

Maddy barely looked at him and Sam saw a muscle twitch in her jaw. Another roar of 'beer' went up.

"And thirsty!"

"I'll be there in _one second!"_ she yelled back. She lowered her voice but kept the cool edge. "If you wanna order something, you better do it now."

"Is there no one to help you?" Sam asked. "If it's too much - ?"

"I'm fine," she snapped. "You want another salad? Great," she said before he could reply. "And a cheeseburger. And what do you want?"

Her tough act seemed to diminish as she met Cas's eye. She looked down at her feet and shuffled slightly. Sam frowned at how uncomfortable he clearly made her.

"I'm okay."

She nodded and turned away. She'd only gotten two steps away before the same boy shouted,

"Maddy would you get your ass over here and get pouring before I fire you!"

Maddy stopped, looked as if she was about to respond, then exhaled and continued to the bar.

But of course, Dean wasn't going to let that go.

"Hey!" he yelled to the boy, who was sat up on the bar. "Why don't you leave her alone and get pouring yourself?"

Maddy turned back to Dean with wide eyes. She shook her head.

"Dean," Sam said. "Leave it."

"I own this place, I don't pull the pints!" the boy retorted.

 _Punk,_ Sam thought but the look on Maddy's face made him hold it back.

Something must have clicked in Dean too, because he settled for a tough glare and sat back down. Maybe an empty stomach.

Sam could have sworn Maddy sent him a grateful look before disappearing off into the back.

He turned back to face Cas and his brother.

"Well he's a dick," Dean said.

Sam nodded, "I wonder what Maddy's doing in a place like this."

"Getting caught in monster crap twice in a few weeks is unlucky if she's involved."

"Not for us," Sam pointed out.

"Yeah well, Maddy isn't like us. She's normal. And anyway, what's with you and her?" Dean asked Castiel.

Cas was burning a hole in the table, looking as lost in thought as ever. Dean nudged him with his shoulder and he perked up.

"What?"

"You and Maddy. She said you met last night."

"She looked freaked," Sam said.

"What you do to her? Terrify the life out of her?" Dean asked. "You didn't go talking about angel shit did you?"

"No," Castiel said, and that was all he had to say on the matter.

* * *

Things were finally starting to calm down as Maddy finished up making the burger and salad. She took a little extra care over the food - they had saved her life once-over after all.

She carried it out and couldn't help but smile at the excitement in Sam and Dean's faces. Poor guys must have been starving and she hadn't been able to get to cooking theirs for an hour. They tucked in and barely seemed to notice when she slipped into the booth beside Sam.

She sighed at the released pressure on her feet. She hadn't had a break in hours. Since they'd opened in fact. She laid her head on the table as Dean had done, and closed her eyes.

"Busy night?" Sam asked through a mouthful of food.

Maddy nodded, eyes still closed.

"Yeah well, you look like you're working yourself too hard. And you never did explain why you're here. I mean, of all the places - "

"I didn't go back after the vampires."

She opened her eyes to see Sam and Dean look away with identical expressions of… guilt?

"Vampires?" Castiel said.

"Sorry, I'm assuming he knows about this stuff."

"Yeah, you're fine. So what, you're living here now?" Dean asked.

"Not for long," she stretched and sat up straight. She could only imagine how tired she looked. "So what are you guys doing here? Not vampires, is it?"

"We don't know," Sam said, motioning to Castiel. "We're just following leads. Anything weird happen recently?"

Maddy paused, "Actually, yeah."

Dean lowered his cheeseburger mid-bite.

"What?"

"I didn't exactly get the full story but the woman who owns this place - you shouted at her delightful son - she kinda went missing last night."

"'Kinda?'" Sam repeated.

"Yeah. Daniel found me saying his mom was missing and there was a blood-stained glass. I went looking for her and bumped into… you," Maddy barely looked at Castiel. "Then we called the cops and they showed up, doing what cops do, then suddenly Deborah just walks in like nothing happened and got pissy because loads of people were in after closing time."

"Where is she now?" Sam asked.

Before Maddy could reply, the bar door opened again, letting in the night's chill. Maddy craned her neck and spotted Deborah waltzing in with her hands full of shopping bags. She kicked the door closed with new heels and breezed straight past everyone up to her flat. A few people frowned and Maddy couldn't blame them. That was rude.

"That's her."

"Could you get us a word with her?" Sam asked.

"She's not the pope," Maddy laughed. It felt good. Then she remembered and the feeling vanished. "She should be down soon but… can you wait until I've left?"

"Sure."

"You mind me asking why?" Dean said.

Maddy bit her lip, then lowered her voice and leaned in.

"I'm resigning. I kinda promised her I'd do longer than this but… some stuff - anyway, it doesn't matter," she brushed off. "Just time to move on again."

"Where now?"

"Is it cliched to pick states out of a hat?"

Sam and Dean both laughed and Maddy joined in, lightly. She wasn't joking but they didn't need to know that.

"I suppose now's a good a time as any," she said, seeing Deborah resurface behind the bar.

 _Where were you two hours ago?_ She thought bitterly.

"Wish me luck."

"Go get 'em," Dean said, taking a big bite of his burger.

Maddy rose from the booth and cautiously made her way to Deborah, who was messing with one of the pumps.

"Hey, Deb, could I talk to you?"

"Shoot," she said distractedly.

"It, uh, might be better to do this out the back?"

"I'm busy, Maddy, what is it?"

Maddy took a breath and went to speak, fully intending to say everything that had happened that night, that she didn't need to stand for it and _wasn't going_ to stand for it, and that her son needed to learn that it wasn't okay to treat people like this - but then she saw him standing at the bottom of the stairs.

She lost her nerve, and just handed in her resignation.

Too much like hard work.

* * *

Deborah hadn't take it as well as Maddy had expected. She'd been snappy and disappointed, something Maddy hadn't been prepared for. It left a gnawing feeling in her gut. Another to add to the list of people she'd disappointed over the years. That feeling never really went away, it just multiplied with each addition.

 _"Oh, Mads, why did you let me whine about_ my _day for so long?"_ Charlie said through Maddy's phone's loudspeaker.

She hadn't told her about the whole shirt incident. She had told her about the curry, though. That still stung and felt it wasn't as outrageous or distressing as the other stuff.

"Anyway, I'm going," Maddy said, shoving her other pair of jeans in her duffel bag. "I'll sleep here tonight and hand the keys in in the morning."

She sighed and sat down on the bed.

 _"Where you gonna go?"_

"I don't know."

She'd been running so long now that it didn't seem necessary to think about it. Just get on the highway and turn off when she gets tired.

"Wherever I end up."

 _"You'll keep in touch, though?"_

"Course," Maddy smiled.

She really had a good thing going with Charlie. There was nothing romantic between them but as a friendship, they were doing well. That was a curveball. Maddy was good at having friends, not so much _being_ a friend. She'd never spoken to someone for so long if they hadn't been in the same state. Aside from Finn, but that was different somehow.

"Karen and Michelle are gonna be pissed. I said I'd meet up for lunch on Friday."

 _"You come first, bitch,"_ Charlie said sympathetically.

"Yeah… Oh God, I forgot to tell you, guess who came into the bar today."

 _"Mmm, Rihanna?"_

"Yeah, I think in both of our dreams. No, seriously."

" _Uhh… no, I give up."_

"Sam and Dean."

 _"Sam and Dean as in…?"_ the shock was evident in her voice.

"Yeah as in Winchester."

 _"Holy crap! Off all the people in all the places! Wait, why are they there? Are you in danger?"_

Maddy went to reply, then stopped. Was she? She hadn't even thought about it.

"No, I don't think so. I'm sure whatever it is, they have it covered. Anyway I'm out of here tomorrow so if I can hold off getting attacked for just tonight, I should be fine."

 _"Don't joke about stuff like that."_

"Sorry," Maddy said, amused. She yawned. "I think I'm gonna head off to bed. I want to get as much driving in as possible tomorrow."

 _"Nighty-night, bitch!"_

"Night, milady."

 _"Sweet dreams and oh, don't get murdered!"_

"Now who's joking!" Maddy laughed. "Right, I'm going. Talk tomorrow."

Maddy set her alarm for six and laid on top of the rickety old bed, fully clothed. Everything else was fully packed. It was the way she lived, and it was only becoming more and more frequent now.

She didn't exactly know how to feel about that, and would probably have spent half the night overthinking it, if it wasn't for the bang of her front door slamming into the wall.

Maddy jumped to her feet, automatically scrambling for the knife in her bag. She snatched it up and placed her back against the wall, holding it out in front of her as slow, heavy footsteps thumped up the steps to her bedsit door.

With her free hand, Maddy held in the call button on her phone, which enabled voice control. She'd set it up for when her dyslexia was at its worst, and now she hoped it would save her life.

"Call Dean Winchester," she whispered without taking her eyes off the door.

But Maddy didn't have time to see if the call connected, as a weight slammed into her. The phone flew from her hand as she fell, and a hand covered her face.


End file.
